How can electrical technology be used to build devices and solve problems?

Targets

At the end of this Unit you should be able to answer the following questions 

1. What are electricity and magnetism, and how can they be used safely?

1.1 What is electricity?

1.2 What are the dangers of electricity, and how can it be used safely?

1.3 What is magnetism, and how is it related to electricity?

1.4. How is the electricity we use daily measured and paid for?

2. How can electricity be controlled and used?

2.1 Do all materials allow electricity to flow through them?

2.2 How can we understand, design, and control electrical pathways?

2.3 How can we change circuits to control the amount of electricity that flows?

3. How can we use electrical circuits to build devices?

3.1 How can electrical technology be used to build devices and solve problems?

targets


Oh no!  My off-road vehicle is stuck in the mud – but that's okay!  I have an electric winch on the front bumper.  A winch has a powerful electric motor that uses the energy from the vehicle battery.  A winch is an example of how an electrical device can solve a problem.  An electric winch turns the spinning motion of a motor into a straight-line pull.  With a winch on the front bumper, a vehicle can pull itself out of almost any sticky situation.



You may not be stuck in the mud, but what if you have something stuck in your teeth? Electric motors can help here, too! A battery-powered toothbrush is another problem solved by electrical technology. A small motor in the handle of the toothbrush vibrates and/or rotates the bristles of the brush to do a great job of cleaning your teeth.

Video

Are you curious how an electric motor works? It's really quite simple! Remember that electricity in wire produces a magnetic field. If you make the wire into a coil and place it near a permanent magnet, the magnetic fields push against each other. The coil of wire in the motor is attached to an axle that spins. Watch Magnet Motor with Coils.

View this video on the different types of energy.  Energy can be converted from electrical to mechanical energy to do work.
 

  Try This!

An Electric Fan

  • Electricity Kit items: 2 connecting wires, battery holder (or thick elastic band), motor, blade or propeller
  • 2 AA-cell or D-cell battery 

All motors convert electric energy into energy of motion.  Putting this to use in a circuit is easy.  Start by connecting two connecting wires to the battery holder (or to each side of a AA-cell battery with thick elastic band).  Now, pick up the motor and put the propeller blade onto the shaft of the motor (or place a pinwheel on the motor —with the pinwheel facing up. ) Keep holding the motor and use your other hand to clip each free connecting wire to the terminals of the motor.

An electric motor connected to an energy source will spin, changing electric energy into energy of motion.  With an electric motor, you can construct all sorts of interesting electric devices!