Electric Circuits

Paths for Electric Current

 Electric Current

Electric current is the flow of particles

that have a net electric charge.
 Light Bulb
The very thin wire that glows
is called the filament.

It is made of tungsten, A glowing tungsten

a metal that will not wire would burn up in
melt until it reaches a air. So, inside the bulb
very high temperature. there is a vacuum or
an inert gas like argon.

To better understand a
light bulb, let’s look
inside.
 Light Bulb Diagram
Electric charges moving
through the filament
make it glow.
 Experiment 1: Lighting a light bulb

Obtain one battery, one light bulb, and one copper wire.

Try to light the light bulb by connecting these in

as many ways as you can.
 Experiment 1: Lighting a light bulb

Sketch each arrangement that you try.

Arrangements that Arrangements that

DON’T LIGHT THE BULB LIGHT THE BULB
 Closed Electric Circuits

Any arrangement of a bulb, a battery and a wire that allows

the bulb to light is called a closed electric circuit.

The terms complete circuit, or just

circuit are also used. The word “circuit”
was originally used to mean “a circular
route or course.”

Why is circuit a suitable name for an arrangement of a bulb,

battery, and wire in which the bulb is lit?
Experiment 2: Lighting a light bulb with different materials

Use one of the arrangements you found that lights the bulb to test if other
materials besides copper wire will light the bulb.

Aluminum wire Plastic String

 Conductors and Insulators

Some materials contain particles with electric charge that are free to
move through the material. We call this type of material a conductor.

Examples of conductors:
metal
water with dissolved salts
plasma

A material that contains particles with electric charge that are

not free to move is called an insulator.
Examples of insulators:
rubber
plastic
wood (dry)
 Closed Electric Circuits

The materials that makes up each piece in a closed electric

circuit need to be a conductor.

X
Copper wire Aluminum wire Plastic
 Light Bulb Diagram
Electric charges moving
through the filament Which parts of the
make it glow.
bulb do you think are
metal conductors?
 Light Bulb Diagram

Which parts of the

bulb do you think are
metal conductors?

Conductor
 Light Bulb Diagram

Which parts of the

bulb do you think are
metal conductors?

Which parts of the

bulb do you think are
insulators?
Insulator
 Electric Current
A conductor
contains
mobile electric
charges that
can move
through the
material. 
 Electric Current
A conductor
contains When there is a
mobile electric complete circuit,
charges that electrical forces are
can move rapidly created
through the throughout the circuit.
material. 
These forces cause
mobile charges within
conductors (electrons
within metal) to move,
creating an electric
current.
In which of the circuits below will the bulb light?

(A) (B) (C) (D)

(Select all that apply)

In which of the circuits below will the bulb light?

(A) (B) (C) (D)

(Answers)