Electricity and MagnetismMs. Shannon

Grade 5

What is Electricity?

• What do you KNOW? • What do you WANT to find out? • What did you LEARN? That will come later. • Please fill out the KWL chart in the front of your

book.

Electricity is…

• Electricity is made up of microscopic electrons. They move and carry an electrical charge.

• An electrical current is when the electrons flow or move.

• Electrons from a battery flow to a clock and power the clock with their electrical charge.

It is an Electric World

• Electricity powers many, many things around us.  Everything you have to plug-in, runs on electricity.

• Brainstorm items in the class or at home, that run on electricity.

• Toasters, ovens, video games are examples. 

Where does Electricity come from?

• Electricity is made or produced from power plants.  

• The power plants produce electricity in turbines, using water, heat-from coal or wind.

• Electricity flows in a current from the power plant to our homes.

Electrical Current

• Electricity flows just like water from a hose.  The flowing electricity is called an electrical current.

• Currents of electricity flow through power lines, transformers and through wires in our homes.

Batteries

• Electricity also comes from batteries. • There are many different sizes of batteries and

they all have different amounts of power.

Types of batteries

• Car battery• Watch battery Button cell• AA, AAA, AAAA, C, D• 9-volt• Phone battery Galvanic cell, voltaic cell,

electrochemical cell.• Rechargeable Lithium Ion

Batteries

• Batteries are storage cells of electricity. • Batteries are also called cells. • A battery has a positive terminal and a negative

terminal. • A terminal is where the electricity flows, much

like a terminal in a train station.

Naturally Occurring Electricity

• Write any 3 examples of Naturally Occurring Electricity in your notes:

• In nature, some organisms can produce their own electrical charge.  

• Electric eels, catfish, fireflies, stingrays • Your brain and nervous system produces electricity. • Lightning is a form of natural electricity.

Electricity Safety

• Electricity is very dangerous. It is important to follow a few safety rules.

1. Never use electricity in or near water.

2. Never place to many plugs in one socket.

3. Never play near or on power lines.

4. Never pull out a plug, by its cord.

5. Never stick anything into a plug in.

Electricity Safety

6. Never run electrical cords under rugs.

7. Never use an electrical lawn mower on wet grass or when it is raining.

8. Never play on power boxes.

9. Never stick anything metal into a toaster.

10. Never use a frayed cord.

Conductors

• A conductor is an object that allows electrons to flow easily through it.

• Most metals, like copper and aluminum, graphite, water, and people are good conductors.

Insulators

• Insulators are objects that do not allow electrons to flow easily through it or at all. • Wood, plastic, rubber are good insulators.

Resistors

• Resistors slow down electrons.  When an electron is slowed down, it heats up. • Wire, steel wool, and carbon filament are

all examples of resistors.

Circuits

• A circuit is a circular movement of electrons. • In a circuit, the electrons flow from the battery to

the load and back to the battery. • In order for the circuit to work, it must be

complete.

Open vs. Closed Circuits

• Circuits can be open or closed. • An open circuit has a break or opening in the circuit.  The

circuit will not work. • A closed circuit has no openings or breaks. The circuit will

work because the electrons can flow in a complete circle.

Adding a Battery

• If you have a circuit with one bulb, a battery and wires, How can you increase the brightness of the bulbs?

• If you add a battery, you can make the bulb brighter.

• Adding a battery, increases the amount of electrons that power the bulb, making more light.

End of Information on Quiz #1

Good job!

If you understand all the information in this PowerPoint as well as the work we’ve done in our labs – you should feel

ready for the quiz!

We have more to learn about Electricity & Magnetism after this quiz… I hope you’re “buzzed” about this!

Switch

• In a circuit, it is important to be able to turn it off and on.

• A switch is a device that can open or close a circuit.

• A switch can be used to turn on or off the circuit, in this example, the light.

Static Electricity

• This is a build up of stationary electrons on a surface of an object.

• For example, electrons from your hair build up on the surface of a balloon as you rub it against your head.

• This creates an electrostatic negative charge.

Static Electricity

• The balloon is can now stick to a surface because the balloon is acting like a magnet.

• The positive electrons are trying to move to the negative electrons.

Magnets

• A magnet is an object that produces an magnetic field.

• Magnets have a north and south pole. • The north pole repels the north.  The south repels

the south. • The north and the south are attracted to each

other.

Energy Conservation

• Why is important to conserve energy? • Many ways that are used to produce energy are

with non-renewable resources.  It is important for us to want to conserve our non-renewable resources.  We want future generations to have what we have today. If we run out of oil, their will be no more and we will not be able to use our cars, machines, etc.