Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the questions and
prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: circuit, closed circuit, conductor, current, electron, fuse, insulator, open circuit, parallel circuit,
series circuit, short circuit
Prior Knowledge Questions...
Student Exploration: Circuit Builder
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the questions and
prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: circuit, closed circuit, conductor, current, electron, fuse, insulator, open circuit, parallel circuit,
series circuit, short circuit
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. What do a light bulb, a toaster, a radio, and a computer all have in common?
they all need energy
2. Suppose you connect a battery to a small light bulb with a single wire. What do you think will happen?
Explain your answer.
the bulb will glow
Gizmo Warm-up: Build a circuit
1. Using the Standard components in the upper left of the Gizmo, try to get a light
bulb to light up. You can drag as many bulbs, wires, batteries, switches and fuses
as you like onto the circuit board.
A circuit is a path containing easily moveable charges. When the light bulb lights
up, negatively-charged particles called electrons are flowing through the wire and
bulb. This flow is called current.
2. Now try to light the bulb with the
smallest number of components.
3. Based on what you have seen, what must be true for a circuit to light a bulb?
You would need a switch, wire, fuze, light bulb and 9-volt battery
, Get the Gizmo ready:
● Click Clear.
Activity A:
● Turn on Show current and select
Closing a circuit Electron flow.
● Set up components as shown to the right.
● USE A 1.5 V BATTERY INSTEAD!
Introduction: You should have just built an open circuit (shown above). The gap on the left prevents the flow
of charges. There are no gaps in a closed circuit, so charges can flow.
Question: What materials will close a circuit?
1. Predict: Conductors are materials with easily movable charges, allowing current to occur. Insulators do
not have easily movable charges, so current is not produced. Look at the nine Materials at lower left.
Which do you think are conductions? Pencil Lead, Iron, Silver, Brass and Copper
Which are insulators? Wood, Glass, Plastic and Yarn
A. Predicted conductors: Silver Iron Copper Brass
B. Predicted insulators: Wood Glass plastic yarn
C. How could you use your open circuit to test if a material is a conductor or insulator?
If you use a light bulb and put it on the surface you can tell if it's a conductor or
an insulator. If the bulb lights up, it's a conductor. If it doesn’t light up, it’s an
insulator
2. Experiment: Drag each material into the gap of the open circuit. If the light bulb lights, the material is a
conductor. If not, the material is an insulator. Keep track of your findings below.
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