#ALLIGATOR CLIPS HOBBY LOBBY PORTABLE#
#ALLIGATOR CLIPS HOBBY LOBBY SERIES#

#ALLIGATOR CLIPS HOBBY LOBBY SERIES#

Multiple batteries can be connected two different ways: in series or in parallel. What about circuits that have more than just a single battery? You have probably used many devices that require two or more batteries, like toys or remote controls. In the short circuit, current flows directly between the battery terminals, bypassing the lightbulb, so it does not light up. In the closed circuit, current flows through the lightbulb, causing it to light up. In the open circuit, no current flows at all. Electrical current is represented by the yellow arrows. Figure 1 shows diagrams of open, closed, and short circuits.Ĭlosed, open, and short circuits. Short circuits are bad because they can cause batteries to drain very quickly and overheat (luckily, potato batteries can only supply a small amount of current, so short circuits in this experiment are not dangerous). Finally, if there is a direct path from the positive to the negative terminal, this is called a short circuit. If the path is broken (for example, if one wire is disconnected), electricity cannot flow. In order for electricity to flow in a battery-powered circuit, there must be a complete path from the positive terminal, through the load, and back to the negative terminal. How much current is drawn out of the battery depends on the load, or what the battery is connected to.īatteries have positive and negative terminals. In general, a battery supplies a certain voltage to a circuit. This project will focus on simple battery-powered circuits. Circuits can be very complex, with millions and millions of components (like the ones inside your computer), or very simple, with just two components, like a battery and a lightbulb. Summary of basic electrical terms.Īn electrical circuit is a path through which the electricity can flow. How hard it is for electricity to flow through something

The 'pressure' that makes electricity flow Does that seem like a lot to remember? Table 1 summarizes voltage, current, and resistance.

The resistance is like the size of the pipe-it is harder to squeeze a lot of water quickly through a very tiny pipe than through a big pipe. The pressure pushing the water is like the voltage. The amount of water flowing is like the current. A common analogy for electricity is to imagine water flowing through a pipe. Finally, electrical resistance, measured in ohms (Ω) (the capital Greek letter Omega) is a measure of how difficult it is for electricity to flow through a certain material. Voltage, measured in volts (V) is what pushes electrical current through wires. The flow of electricity is called an electrical current, which is measured in a unit called amperes (A) (also called amps for short). Next, you need to understand some basic concepts about electricity. It turns out that the moisture inside a potato works pretty well as an electrolyte, so you just need to add some metal electrodes to a potato, and you have a battery! While you do not need to understand the details of the chemical reaction to do this project, it is explained in technical note at the end of this introduction. The chemical reaction typically occurs between two pieces of metal, called electrodes, and a liquid or paste, called an electrolyte.

There are many different types of batteries, but they all depend on some sort of chemical reaction to generate electricity.

#ALLIGATOR CLIPS HOBBY LOBBY PORTABLE#

This method of storing energy allows us to make portable electronic devices (imagine what a pain it would be if everything had to be plugged into a wall outlet to work!). Batteries are containers that store energy, which can be used to make electricity.

Alligator clips hobby lobby