Electricity Magnetism Science Study Guide

Electrons

Tiny charged particles

Electricity

Flowing electric energy

Electric Current

Moving electric charges

Magnetism

Force from magnets

Magnetic field

Invisible space around magnets

Lenz Law

Currents fight against what’s trying to change them

Attract

Pulls things together

Repel

Pushes things apart

Open Circuit

A break in the path, electricity cannot flow

Closed Circuit

A complete path, electricity can flow

Continuity

A way to check if a circuit is complete and unbroken

Electromagnetism

The connection between electricity and magnets

Motor Effect

When electricity flows through a wire and that wire is inside a magnetic field, the wire gets pushed or pulled.

Galvanometer

A electricity detector.

Coil

A wire that’s been wrapped into loops.

Solenoid

A special coil of wire that becomes a magnet when electricity flows through it.

AC (Alternating Current)

Electricity that switches direction back and forth.

DC (Direct Current)

Electricity flowing in one direction only.

Series Circuit

Electricity flows along a single path.

Parallel Circuit

Electricity can go through many separate paths.

Conductor

A material that lets electricity flow easily.

Resistor

A part in a circuit that slows down electricity.

Insulator

Material that blocks electricity.

Incandescent vs LED

Incandescent bulbs waste a lot of energy as heat and don’t last long.

Motor

A machine that turns electricity into motion.

Generator

A machine that makes electricity.

What is the difference between AC and DC? And how do you know?

AC and DC are two different kinds of electric current. AC flows back and forth, switching direction many times per second, while DC flows in one steady direction.

How does a simple motor work? How does the wire coil move?

When electricity goes through the wire-coil inside a motor, the coil becomes a magnet. That magnet pushes and pulls against a fixed magnet that pulls and pull makes the coil spin.

What is the difference between a motor and a Generator- note the transfer of energy.

A motor takes electricity in, motion out, while a generator takes motion (or mechanical energy) in, electricity out.

Identify and apply what conductor, insulator, and resister are?

A conductor lets electricity flow easily, an insulator blocks most electricity, and a resistor slows down the flow of electricity.

What is the difference between a parallel and series circuit?

A parallel circuit has multiple paths to let the current flow through while a series circuit only has one path to let the current flow through.