Year 10 Electricity Topic Low band, quick topic

1. Year 10
GB

4. Describe the difference between static
electricity and current
Keywords: positive, negative, current, atoms, attraction, repulsion

5. Static electricity is all around us, it causes:
• Sparks as we take off clothing
• dust accumulating on TV
• a zap when we get out the car

6. • Charges build up as a result of two objects rubbing
together (friction, tyres on road, and socks on carpet)
• When the charges try to balance out, negative charges
jump back to the positive item, an electric current (static
electricity) is formed.
• Electrons are negatively
charged

7. • Copy this pattern onto tissue paper – be careful not to rip
the tissue
• Cut out along the dotted line, and pull the middle up to
make a snake
• rub a plastic rod/ruler with the piece of nylon cloth,
several times
• Wave the rod near (but do not touch) the snakes head.
• Can you move the snake without touching it?

9. Task Observation Repe
l
Attrac
t
Strength
(high/
med/low)
Rub cloth on
balloon hold
near bran.
rub cloth on
balloon hold
near hair (dry)
Rub cloth on
balloon hold
near running
water
Rub cloth on rod
hold near bran.
rub cloth on rod
hold near hair
(dry)
rub cloth on rod
hold near

10. • Like charges repel
• Unlike charges attract

11. 1. What is electricity?
electricity is a flow of energy
2.Where does the energy come from?
power supply, socket in wall, energy from burning coal, turning turbines (wind,
water, steam)
3. What carries the energy?
Electrons flying about the atoms in certain
materials.
4. Why do electrons move?
They are like magnets, opposites attract, negative electrons move towards a
positive terminal.

12. Electricity in wires is a flow of electrons along the wire.
What do we call this flow of electrons? Electrical current

13. An electric current is a flow of microscopic
particles called electrons flowing through wires
and components.
+
-
In which direction does the current
flow?from the Negative terminal to the Positive terminal of a cell.
Conventional Current flows from Positive to Negative

14. 1. Label the following diagrams, (same charge, opposite charge,
repel, attract, nothing)
2. What is the name of the particle which gives the charge to the
rods?
Electrons
2. Do static charges move?
NO
2. Do electrons move in an electric current?
YES
2. What direction does conventional current flow in?
Positive to negative
2. Complete Scipad page 66-67 What is Electricity

15. Draw simple circuit diagrams
Keywords: components, electrons, positive, negative

16. • http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/k
s3/science/elecricity_2/electricity.swf

17. Here is a simple electric circuit. It has a cell,
a lamp and a switch.
To make the circuit, these components are
connected together with metal connecting
cell
lampswitch
wires

18. • When electric charges
move in a wire, we say
that an electric current
flows in the wire. It's like
the way a current of water
flows in a river.
• For an electric current to
flow, we need two things:
• something to make the
electricity flow, such as a
battery or power pack
• a complete path for the
current to flow in. This is
called an electric circuit.

19. cell switchlamp wires
Scientists usually draw electric circuits using symbols;

21. In circuit diagrams components are represented
by the following symbols;
cell battery switch lamp
motorammeter voltmeter
buzzer
resistor variable
resistor

22. 1. Complete cut and paste of components, function and
symbol
2. Complete worksheet What bits of a circuit are for.
3. Complete Scipad pages 68

23. Circuits should be drawn:
• With a sharp pencil
• Ruler
• Circuits should have:
• No gaps
• No overlaps
• The correct symbols
• One symbol on each side
• Circuits should be drawn as squares

24. 1. Draw the following circuits, put you hand
up when you have finished the first one
2. C
2. Complete Scipad page 69-70

25. When building circuits:
• Make sure power is off!
• Count number of wires needed
• Count and collect equipment needed
• Start with power supply
• Set components out as shown in diagram(In a square and
one component per side)
• Connect with wires
• When finished run your finger around circuit diagram
and the other hand around circuit, make sure they
match and are in the same order.
• Put your hand up and get it checked, then turn
power on.

26. 1. Collect the following gear: set of wires, two
lamps, one switch, one ammeter, one power
supply
2. Build each circuit you drew previously, each
person in your group needs to have a turn,
put your hand up before turning on power
supply
3. Extn: Complete practical and questions on
page 221 of Science World 10
Remember red to red and black to black
when wiring the ammeter!

27. 1. Complete Scipad pages 65-71
2. What is the name of the particle which carries the
charge around the circuit?
3. Does this particle have a negative or positive charge?
Extn: Circuits are often compared to water flowing in pipes,
can you come up with your own analogy for a circuit.

28. Define conductors and insulators and give
examples
Keywords: atom, electrons, insulator, conductor, electron movement

29. Aim:
To find out what materials conduct electricity and which do not,
and WHY?
Method:
Set up a simple circuit as shown:
Set the power supply to 6 Volts
In the gap put a variety of materials – one at a time and record
the results in a table.

30. Results:
Material Light √/ X Conductor or
Insulator
Rubber Band
Glass
Nail
Wood
Plastic
Rubber
Nichrome
wire
Cabon
Paper Clip

31. Results:
Material Light √/ X Conductor or
Insulator
Rubber Band Insulator
Glass Insulator
Nail Conductor
Wood Insulator
Plastic Insulator
Rubber Insulator
Nichrome
wire
Conductor
Cabon Conductor
Paper Clip Conductor

32. Conclusion:
What types of materials conduct electricity?
Why?
- metals, have free electrons that can move
and pass the electrical current along the
substance
What types of materials do not conduct
electricity? Why?
- Non metals (plastic, wood, rubber, glass) DO
NOT have free electrons that can move and

34. 1. Complete Scipad page 72-73
2. In your own words explain the difference between
conductors and insulators.
3. Extn: Complete Challenges on page 228 Science World
10

35. Understand how current flows in series and parallel
circuits
Predict ammeter and voltmeter readings in parallel
and series circuits
Keywords: components, electrons, positive, negative, parallel, series

36. There are two types of electrical circuits;
SERIES CIRCUITS PARALLEL CIRCUITS

37. • The components are connected one after the
other.
• They make a simple loop for the current to
flow round.
• If one bulb ‘blows’ it breaks the whole circuit
and all the bulbs go out.

38. • The current has a choice of routes.
• The components are connected side by side.
• If one bulb ‘blows’ there is still be a complete
circuit to the other bulb so it stays alight.

39. Set up the following circuits and fill in the table below,
get your diagrams checked before building the circuit:
Number
of Bulbs
Series or
Parallel
Brightness
of bulb
Circuit Diagram
1 Series High
2 Series
3 Series Remove a bulb, what
happens?
2 Parallel
3 Parallel Remove a bulb what
happens?

40. 1. What happens to the brightness of the bulbs as you add
more in series? Why?
2. What happens to the brightness of the bulbs as you add
more in parallel? Why?
3. What happens when you take out a bulb in the series
circuit? Why?
4. What happens when you take out a bulb in the parallel
circuit? Why?
5. Would you wire your house in a parallel or series
circuit? Why?

41. • When electric charges
move in a wire, we say
that an electric current
flows in the wire. It's like
the way a current of water
flows in a river.
• For an electric current to
flow, we need two things:
• something to make the
electricity flow, such as a
battery or power pack
• a complete path for the
current to flow in. This is
called an electric circuit.

42. Electric current (number of electrons flowing
past a point) is measured in amps (A) using
an ammeter connected in series in the
circuit.
A

43. A A
This is how we draw an ammeter in a circuit.
SERIES CIRCUIT PARALLEL CIRCUIT
Why do we connect the ammeter into the circuit?
Hint what is it counting?

44. Draw and then set up the following circuits and record the
current below the ammeter in your circuit diagram.
(remember red to red, black to black)
1. Power pack + ammeter + light bulb + variable resistor
2. Power pack + light bulb + ammeter + variable resistor
3. Power pack + light bulb + variable resistor + ammeter
What do you notice about the current readings? Why do
you think it is like this? Complete Scipad pages 76-77

45. Draw and then set up the following circuits and record the
current below the ammeter in your circuit diagram.
(remember red to red, black to black)
1. Power pack + three bulbs in parallel + ammeter in first
branch
2. Power pack + three bulbs in parallel + ammeter in
second branch
3. Power pack + three bulbs in parallel + ammeter in third
branch
What do you notice about the current readings? Why do
you think it is like this?

46. SERIES CIRCUIT
PARALLEL CIRCUIT
• current is the same
at all points in the
circuit.
2A 2A
2A
• current is shared
between the
components
• Current in = current out
• Current on branches
adds up to current in
2A2A
1A
1A

47. Copy the following circuits, set them up, get them
checked and fill in the missing ammeter readings.
?
?
4A
4A
4A
3A?
?
1A
?
3A
1A
1A

48. In an electric c____, current is the flow of
e_______. The bigger the current, the m___
electrons are flowing around the circuit. The
w___ carry the electrons from one terminal
around the circuit to the other t______.
Current
lamps
ircuit
lectrons ore
ires
erminal

49. In which circuit are the bulbs the brightest?In circuit A the bulbs are the brightest.What happens if you unscrew one bulb in Circuit A?The other bulb stays lit.What happens if you unscrew a bulb in circuit B?The other bulb goes out.What do we call circuit A?Parallel CircuitWhat do we call circuit B?Series Circuit
BRIGHTER
DIMMER
A.
B.

50. Set up the circuit shown below………and then record the current using an ammeter in
the places shown below.
What do you notice about the readings?The current is the same for each ammeter.
In a series circuit the current is the same
wherever you measure it.
When measuring current ammeters are always
placed in series.
A
AA

51. Set up the circuit shown below………then record the current at the locations shown.What do you notice about the readings?
For a parallel circuit, the current that leaves the cell or battery is the same
as the current that returns to the cell or battery. The current does not get
used up by a circuit, just the energy the electrons are carrying.
A1 = A4
The sum of the currents in the branches of a
parallel circuit is the equal to the current that
leaves the cell or battery.
A1 = A2 + A3 =A4
Ammeter Current
(A)
A1
A2
A3
A4
0.8
0.8
0.4
0.4
A1
A2
A3
A4

52. • Complete Scipad pages 74-77

53. Keywords: components, electrons, positive, negative, parallel, series
Understand how current flows in series and parallel
circuits
Predict ammeter and voltmeter readings in parallel
and series circuits

54. V
This is how we draw a voltmeter in a circuit.
SERIES CIRCUIT PARALLEL CIRCUIT
V

55. The ‘electrical push’ which the cell gives to the
current is called the voltage. It is measured in volts
(V) on a voltmeter
V

56. 1.5V
• voltage is shared between the components
1.5V
3V
Set up the following circuit and measure and record the
voltage readings

57. • voltage is the same in all parts of the circuit.
3V
3V
3V
Set up the following circuit and measure and record the
voltage readings

58. V
V
V
V

59. The v_____ is a measure of how big a push
the e_______ are given as they leave the
cell or b_____. The bigger the voltage, the
bigger the p___.
The cell, battery or p____ s_____ produces
the voltage.
Voltage
lamps
oltage
lectrons
attery
ush
ower upply

60. V2 V3
V1
Set up the apparatus as shown………then record the voltages at the locations shown.What do you notice about the readings?
For a series circuit, the sum of the voltages for each component
is equal to the voltage across the cell or battery.
V1 = V2 + V3
NB Voltmeters are
connected in parallel
Voltmeter Voltage
(V)
V1
V2
V3
1.5
0.75
0.75

62. V1
V2
V3
Voltmeter Voltage
(V)
V1
V2
V3
1.5
1.5
1.5
Set up the apparatus
as shown….
..measure the voltage at
the locations shown.
What do you notice about
your readings?
For a parallel circuit, the
voltage across the
cell/battery is the same
as the voltage across
each branch.
V1 = V2 = V3

63. 1. Complete Scipad pages 78-83
2. Complete worksheets provided
3. Complete Test Yourself on page 236-237 Science World
10
4. Copy the main ideas on page 236. Extn: Make notes
into a mind map, poster, who has I have game.

64. Keywords: attract, repel, poles, magnetic field, like, unlike,
electromagnets,

66. NS
The iron filings feel the effect of the magnetic field and
show the direction of the forces in this region.
The region around a magnet where it has a magnetic effect
is called its magnetic field.
When a magnetic material is placed in a magnetic field it will
experience a force.

68. weakest field further
away from poles
What is the shape and direction of the lines of force in the
magnetic field around a bar magnet?
N S
Where is the magnetic field strongest?
Complete scipad page 84 on Magnetism
strongest
field
at poles
strongest
field
at poles

69. NS
What do you notice about the pattern of the lines of force
in the region between the two north poles?

70. NN
How does this pattern compare with the pattern between
the two north poles?
What do you notice about the pattern of the lines of force
in the region between the north and south poles?
S S

71. - Opposite poles touching
- Like poles touching

73. • Used to protect us from UV radiation
• Used in navigation – pigeons, whales and humans
(compass)

75. • Complete Scipad pages 84-91 on Magnetism
• Complete scipad page on Maglev
• List the advantages and disadvantages of maglev
• How are magnetic fields used by living things?
• Draw the magnetic field of two North poles coming
together
• Draw the magnetic field of a North and South pole
coming together
• Draw the magnetic field of a single magnet

76. • http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/science/energy
_electricity_forces/electric_current_voltage/activity.shtml