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Unit 10: Electricity Page 22
according to how they lose or gain mercury vapor gives off UV light
electrons. Near the top of the list whenever it gets excited by
are materials that take on a electricity (movement of
positive charge, such as air, human electrons). When you rub the
skin, glass, rabbit fur, human hair, outside of the bulb, electrons start
wool, silk, and aluminum. Near the to jump around, exciting the gas,
bottom of the list are materials which generated UV light, which
that take on a negative charge, hits the phosphor and causes it to
such as amber, rubber balloons, glow briefly. When the bulb is in
copper, brass, gold, cellophane balance, it stays dark. If you tip
tape, Teflon, and silicone rubber. the balance, electrons flow and you
get light.
When you rub a glass rod with silk,
the glass takes on a positive Experiment: Basic Circuits
charge and the silk holds the
There are many different electrical
negative charge. When you rub
components that make the
your head with a balloon, the hair
electrons react in different ways,
takes on a positive charge and the
such as resistors (limit current),
balloon takes on a negative charge.
capacitors (collect a charge),
transistors (gate for electrons),
When you scuff along the carpet,
you build up a static charge (of relays (electricity itself activates a
switch), diodes (one-way street for
electrons). Your socks insulate you
electrons), solenoids (electrical
from the ground, and the electrons
magnet), switches (stoplight for
can’t cross your sock-barrier and
electrons), and more. We’re going
zip back into the ground. When you
to use a combination diode-light-
touch someone (or something
bulb (LED), buzzers, and motors in
grounded, like a metal faucet), the
our circuits right now.
electrons jump from you and
complete the circuit, sending the A CIRCUIT looks like a CIRCLE.
electrons from you to them (or it). When you connect the batteries to
the LED with wire and make a
The fluorescent bulb lights up when circle, the LED lights up. If you
the electrons jump around. The break open the circle, electricity
inside of the bulb is coated with (current) doesn’t flow and the LED
phosphor (a white powder) and turns dark.
filled with mercury vapor gas. The
LED stands for “Light Emitting
phosphor gives off light whenever
Diode”. Diodes are one-way
it gets smacked with UV light. The
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