The Mad Scientist Teaches: Electricity & Magnetism - 50 Fun Science Experiments for Grades 1 to 8

1.41

THE MAD SCIENTIST TEACHES:

ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM

VOLUME 3 | 50 science projects for grades 1 to 8

Revision 1.41

This edition was first internationally published in Dec 2010 by JBC Media Group (Pty) Ltd for www.experiland.com. Original fixed layouts remastered in .epub & .mobi formats (Jan 2017)

ISBN: 9781370096107

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_TABLE OF CONTENTS

[PREFACE]

Preface

Introduction

Let’s Begin!

A Word about Safety

How to…

What is Electricity & Magnetism About?

[SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS: STATIC ELECTRICITY]

Project 01 - Attracted to Static Electricity

Attraction & repulsion with static electricity

Project 02 - Repelled by Static Electricity?

More attraction & repulsion with static electricity

Project 03 - This Is No X-Mas Stocking!

Fill a nylon stocking with nothing but static electricity

Project 04 - Tea Anyone?

Make static electricity using a Van de Graaff generator

Project 05 - Feel Like Dancing?

More attraction & repulsion with static electricity

Project 06 - Fabulous Flower Fun

Make an electro-static flower to demonstrate how similar charges repel

Project 07 - What’s On Television?

Demonstrate the unseen static electricity emanating from a TV set

Project 08 - Electroscopic Energy

Make your own homemade electroscope

Project 09 - You Are Grounded!

Remove static charges in clothing by grounding them

Project 10 - Lightning Crashes

Build a Franklin bells device for detecting high voltage lightning storms

[SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS: ELECTRICAL CURRENT]

Project 11 - Shining Silverware

Remove the tarnish off silverware using an electrolyte

Project 12 - In The Spirit of X-Mas

Use LED lights to decorate a paper X-mas tree

Project 13 - Knock, Knock

Make an electrical doorbell for your room

Project 14 - Fruit Power

Make a light bulb shine using a lemon as a battery

Project 15 - Meter Maid

Learn how to read an electricity consumption meter

Project 16 - Potato Polarity Test

Find out which battery terminal is positive and which is negative

Project 17 - Come into The Light

Use a solar powered calculator to measure light levels

Project 18 - Best of The Best

Test and compare popular brands of batteries with each other

Project 19 - He Has a Short Fuse!

Demonstrate how a fuse protect an appliance from excess current flow

Project 20 - Clever Circuits

Make a quiz board with an electrical circuit connected in series

Project 21 - Volts Vs Amps

Learn about the concepts of voltage compared to amperage

Project 22 - Steady Hands Only

Test your friends’ coordination with this electrical device

Project 23 - Who’s There?

Build your own intruder detector in this simple experiment

Project 24 - Rapid Radio Waves

Listen to the news by building your own foxhole radio

Project 25 - I’m Singing in The Rain

Build your own rain alarm in this simple experiment

[SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS: ELECTRO-MAGNETISM]

Project 26 - Induction Current

Learn how to generate electricity by means of induction

Project 27 - Magnetic Faces

Make a face with an electro-magnetic wire

Project 28 - Magnetic Power

Have fun picking up metal objects with your own electromagnet

Project 29 - [S]Ave [O]Ur [S]Ouls

Learn about sending Morse code signals with your own telegraph

Project 30 - Electro-Magnetic Bouncer

Make a wire spring jump up and down with electro-magnetism

Project 31 - Magnetic Field Arrest

Test and compare electrical insulators opposed to magnetic insulators

[SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS: MAGNETISM]

Project 32 - The Magic Poles

Learn about the poles of magnets

Project 33 - The Magic of Magnetism

Make bar magnets float on top of each other

Project 34 - Stroke of Luck!

Make steel objects magnetic by stroking them with a permanent magnet

Project 35 - The Magic of Magnetism 2

Propel a small ‘boat’ with magnetic power

Project 36 - Which Way to Go?

Find your way with magnetic power by making a compass

Project 37 - From South to North

Compare current induction using a south vs. a north pole of a magnet

Project 38 - Magnetic Detector

Build a device that can detect a small amount of magnetism

Project 39 - Rust in Pieces

Compare the magnetic properties of iron and rust

Project 40 - Temperature and Magnetism

Study what effect high or low temperatures have on a magnet

Project 41 - 3d Magnetic Field

Display a three dimensional magnetic field in mineral oil

Project 42 - Eddy Are You Okay?

Make an Eddy-current motor

[SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS: RESISTANCE]

Project 43 - Dim The Lights, Que The Music…

Make a working rheostat to control the flow of electrical current

Project 44 - Hot Wired

Demonstrate how resistance in an electrical conduit can produce heat

Project 45 - Resist The Urge

Compare how a circuit is affected by resistors in series versus parallel

Project 46 - Voltage Divider Circuit

Use Ohms law to determine a rheostat’s resistance by measuring voltage

Project 47 - Glow in The Dark

Make your own electrical light bulb

[SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS: SOLID STATE ELECTRONICS]

Project 48 - Blink, Blink…

Build an integrated circuit oscillator

Project 49 - On or Off

Build and learn about an ‘AND’ and ‘OR’ computer logic circuit

Project 50 - Relay Replay!

Build a relay to remotely control other electrical circuits

[EPILOGUE]

Unit Conversions

Acknowledgements

Thank you

INTRODUCTION

FOREWORD

Thank you for purchasing a science experiment e-book from Experiland.com! Whether you are a parent or a student trying to find an idea for a science project, a teacher looking for ideas for the classroom, or a science enthusiast who enjoys the delight of experimentation, we trust you will find what you're looking for in this book. This book is a fascinating collection of both old and new science projects & experiments covering the whole basic spectrum of the astonishing field of science, and at the same time avoiding repetitions and similarities so often found in science project literature.

This book is not intended for serious scientists, we will not be discussing quantum physics, Astrophysical equations, or Human stem cell cyto-kinesis. Rather is it written and compiled as fun educational entertainment for the young scientist who enjoys putting their mental agility to test and curiosity to rest!

Enjoy the content and may you have many hours of fun with the experiments!

LET’S BEGIN!

GREETINGS!

Greetings fellow scientists! Welcome to the exciting exploration of the world around us...the world of science. This is a book full of fun & though-provoking science projects and experiments that will teach you, step-by-step, how to create an exciting project that not only demonstrates good scientific practice but provides a safe and fun educational experience too! With this book you will discover that science is a part of every object in our daily lives. Who knows? Maybe someday you'll create your own fascinating inventions—or even grow up to be a rocket scientist!

You can read all the books on music and guitars in the world, but that won't make you a great guitar player. You have to actually practise with a guitar to get it right! It is easiest to figure things out by getting your hands 'dirty' by doing! Science works exactly the same way. Yes, you can learn a lot in science class or by doing homework, but there's nothing quite as much fun as learning by getting your hands dirty doing some science experiments.

Science can be really simple and is actually only about understanding the world you live in! Science certainly does not need to be complicated formulas, heavy text books and geeky guys in white lab coats with thick glasses. Doing science experiments are all about testing and getting results, even if you get a surprising result than you might not have expected. But remember, even if things don't work out as you would have hoped, a good scientist is constantly asking: Why? Science is in fact only an organized system created by people to gather and store information. We use it as a way to define and understand the world we live in!

Science experiments are an awesome part of science that allows you to engage in cool and exciting hands on learning experiences that you are sure to enjoy and remember! A short introduction to each project will help raise questions in your mind, followed by step-by-step instructions for creating your project. Finally, our conclusion and learn more sections will help you understand what your project demonstrates and how this information can answer broader questions about science.

Most of the items you will need for the experiments, such as jars, aluminium foil, scissors and sticky tape, you can find around your home. Others, such as magnets, lenses or a compass, you will be able to buy quite cheaply at a hobby shop or hardware store.

When you carry out experiments, always keep notes about the things you use (materials / apparatus), what you do (method), and what happens (observations, results and conclusion). All scientists do this. If an experiment does not work first time, don’t be discouraged. Try again. You may find there is something simple you have not done. Surprisingly, by doing things wrong, you sometimes learn more than when you do things right!

Have fun experimenting!

A WORD ABOUT SAFETY

RATHER BE A SAFE THAN SORRY SCIENTIST!

Science experiments should be enjoyable, interesting,