CHAPTER - 12

ELECTRICITY AND
CIRCUITS
CLASS :- VI
SUBJECT :- SCIENCE
1) Uses of electricity :-
i) Electricity is used for lighting our homes, offices,
factories, roads etc.
ii) Electricity
is used for the working of radio, television, fan,
electric iron, mixer, grinder, refrigerator, washing machine,
motors etc.
2) Electric cell :-
Electric cell is a device used to produce electricity from the
chemicals stored inside it.
Electric cells are used in torches, clocks, watches, transistor
radios, calculators, cameras etc.
An electric cell has a metal cap at one end and a metal disc at the
other end. The metal cap is the positive terminal (+) and the metal disc
is the negative terminal (-). The space inside the electric cell is filled
with chemicals.
Positive terminal (+)

Negative terminal (-)

3) Torch bulb :-
A torch bulb has a glass case fixed to a metallic case. Inside the
bulb is a thin wire called filament. The filament is fixed to two thick
wires. One wire is connected to the metal case and the other wire is
connected to the metal tip at the base. The metal case and the metal
tip are the two terminals of the bulb.
When current flows through the filament it glows and produces
light.

Filament

Terminals
4) An electric circuit :-
If we connect the two terminals of an electric cell by two wires to
the two terminals of an electric bulb, it becomes an electric circuit.
Electric current flows through the circuit and the bulb glows.
In an electric circuit, current flows from the positive terminal of the
electric cell to the negative terminal.
5) A home made torch :-
We can make a home made torch by using an electric cell, a torch
bulb and a piece of wire.
Take a torch bulb. Connect one end of a wire to the metal case and
the other end to the negative terminal of an electric cell. Then bring the
metal tip at the base of the bulb in contact with the positive terminal of
the bulb. The bulb glows. If the bulb is removed away from the cell it
does not glow.
6) Electric switch :-
An electric switch is a device used to either break an electric circuit
or to complete it.
When the switch is ‘on’ there is no gap in the circuit and the circuit is
complete and current flows in the circuit. When the switch is ‘off’ there
is gap in the circuit and current does not flow in the circuit.
Parts of a torch
7) A conduction tester :-
A conduction tester is a device used to test whether a material is a
conductor or insulator of electric current.
A simple conduction tester has an electric cell connected to a bulb by
a wire.
If the two free ends of the wires are brought in contact with a material
and the bulb glows then the material is a conductor of electric current.
If the bulb does not glow then the material is an insulator of electric
current.
8) Conductors and insulators of electricity :-
a) Conductors :- are materials which allow electric current to pass
through them. Eg :- iron, copper, aluminium, steel etc.
b) Insulators :- are materials which do not allow electric current to
pass through them. Eg :- wood, rubber, plastic, glass etc.