TEST ABOUT ELECTRICITY

Learning about electricity and circuits

How can you find a magnet?

Magnet song

Magnets & Magnetism

Fun Magnet Facts for Kids

Check out our fun magnet facts for kids and enjoy learning some truly magnetic information about the world of magnetism.

Find out what a magnet is, how magnetic fields work, which metals are magnetic and which aren't, how the Earth's core relates to magnetism and much more. Read on and have fun learning about magnets!

• Magnets are objects that produce an area of magnetic force called a magnetic field.
• Magnetic fields by themselves are invisible to the human eye.
• Iron filings can be used to show magnetic fields created by magnets (such as in the picture to the right).
• Magnets only attract certain types of metals, other materials such as glass, plastic and wood aren't attracted.
• Metals such as iron, nickel and cobalt are attracted to magnets.
• Most metals however are not attracted to magnets, these include copper, silver, gold, magnesium, platinum, aluminium and more. They may however magnetize a small amount while placed in a magnetic field.
• Magnetism can attract magnetic objects or push them away.
• Magnets have a magnetic north pole and a magnetic south pole. If the same pole of two magnets are placed near each other they will push away (repel), while if different poles are placed near each other they will pull together (attract).
• Magnetic objects must be inside the magnetic field to respond, which is why you may have to move a magnet closer for it to have an effect.
• The Earth's core is believed to be a mix (alloy) of iron and nickel, giving the Earth its own magnetic field.
• The Earth's magnetic field is responsible for deflecting the solar wind, charged particles that come from the Sun.
• Magnetic compasses use the Earth's magnetic field to help navigate in north, south, east and west directions.
• Electromagnets are created by an electric current running through a surrounding coil. They have many uses including the generation of electricity in hydroelectric dams.

Static Electricity Experiment

They say opposites attract and that couldn't be truer with these fun static electricity experiments. Find out about positively and negatively charged particles using a few basic items, can you control if they will be attracted or unattracted to each other? What you'll need: 2 inflated balloons with string attached Your hair Aluminium can Woolen fabric Instructions: Rub the 2 balloons one by one against the woolen fabric, then try moving the balloons together, do they want to or are they unattracted to each other? Rub 1 of the balloons back and forth on your hair then slowly it pull it away, ask someone nearby what they can see or if there's nobody else around try looking in a mirror. Put the aluminium can on its side on a table, after rubbing the balloon on your hair again hold the balloon close to the can and watch as it rolls towards it, slowly move the balloon away from the can and it will follow.   What's happening? Rubbing the balloons against the woolen fabric or your hair creates static electricity. This involves negatively charged particles (electrons) jumping to positively charged objects. When you rub the balloons against your hair or the fabric they become negatively charged, they have taken some of the electrons from the hair/fabric and left them positively charged. They say opposites attract and that is certainly the case in these experiments, your positively charged hair is attracted to the negatively charged balloon and starts to rise up to meet it. This is similar to the aluminium can which is drawn to the negatively charged balloon as the area near it becomes positively charged, once again opposites attract. In the first experiment both the balloons were negatively charged after rubbing them against the woolen fabric, because of this they were unattracted to each other.

Introduction to Electricity

Electricity is the movement of charged electric particles called electrons. Learn more about it with this great electricity introduction video. See how current, amperes, volts and circuits are related as well as why electrical safety is so important.

We use electricity to light the rooms in our homes, power our televisions, microwaves, fridges, heaters, washing machines and so much more, enjoy this electricity video clip and learn how it all works.

Fun electricity facts for kids

 Electricity plays an important role in everyday life, learn more about static electricity, electric eels, circuits, lightning, electric shock, volts, amps and much more.
* Modern society relies heavily on the convenience and versatility of electricity. It powers your microwave, helps light your house, lets you watch TV and so much more.
* Electric current is measured in amperes (amps).
* Electric potential energy is measured in volts.
* Two positive charges repel each other, as do two negative charges. Opposite charges on the other hand attract each other.
* When an electric charge builds up on the surface of an object it creates static electricity. You have probably experienced static electricity in the form of a small electric shock, which is what happens when the electric charge is quickly neutralized by an opposite charge.
* Electric eels can produce strong electric shocks of around 500 volts for both self defense and hunting.
* Electric circuits can contain parts such as switches, transformers, resistors and transformers.
* A common way to produce electricity is by hydropower, a process that generates electricity by using water to spin turbines attached to generators.
* The world’s biggest source of energy for producing electricity comes from coal. The burning of coal in furnaces heats boiler water until it becomes steam which then spins turbines attached to generators. Lightning is a discharge of electricity in the atmosphere.
* Lightning bolts can travel at around 210,000 kph (130,000 mph), while reaching nearly 30,000 °C (54,000 °F) in temperature.
* Electricity plays a role in the way your heart beats. Muscle cells in the heart are contracted by electricity going through the heart. Electrocardiogram (ECG) machines used in hospitals measure the electricity going through someone’s heart, when the person is healthy it usually shows a line moving across a screen with regular spikes as the heart beats.
* You may have heard of direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC). The difference between the two is in the way the electrons flow. In DC electrons move in a single direction while in AC they change directions, switching between backwards and forwards. The electricity use in your home is AC while DC comes from sources that include batteries.
* Back in the 1880’s there was even a ‘war of currents’ between Thomas Edison (who helped invent DC) and Nikola Tesla (who helped invent AC). Both wanted their system to be used with AC eventually winning out due to the fact that it is safer and can be used over longer distances.
* Electric fields work in a similar way to gravity with an important exception being that while gravity always attracts, electric fields can either attract or repulse.
*  American Benjamin Franklin carried out extensive electricity research in the 18th century, inventing the lightning rod amongst his many discoveries. Lightning rods protect buildings in the event of lightning by conducting lightning strikes through a grounded wire.

HOW TO MAKE A COMPASS

How To Make A Compass