Phet DC Circuits (Conductor and Insulator) lab

Last updated over 5 years ago

4 Nsɛmmisa

Today you will be testing a variety of items to see if they are conductors or insulators. You will be doing this by placing them into the testing area of a circuit; if the light bulb lights up, it is a conductor!

Conductors are objects that allow electrons and electricity to move freely and easily through them.
Insulators inhibit, impeded, or slow down the movement of electrons and electricity.

Go to: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/circuit-construction-kit-dc-virtual-lab/latest/circuit-construction-kit-dc-virtual-lab_en.html and construct the circuit pictured below:

Pay attention to the way the battery is facing. You may have to rotate the battery or change its voltage by double clicking on it.

Drag objects from the list to the testing area, making sure they are connecting in the red circles and answer the questions below.

Phet DC Circuits (Conductor and Insulator) lab

Last updated over 5 years ago

4 Nsɛmmisa

Conductors are objects that allow electrons and electricity to move freely and easily through them.
Insulators inhibit, impeded, or slow down the movement of electrons and electricity.

Predict which items below will make the light bulb light up (conductor) and which will not (insulator).

Pencil
Paper clip
Hand
Coin
Dog
Eraser
Dollar bill
Wire

Conductor (makes the light bulb light up)
Insulator (does not make the light bulb light up)

Go to: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/circuit-construction-kit-dc-virtual-lab/latest/circuit-construction-kit-dc-virtual-lab_en.html and construct the circuit pictured below:

Pay attention to the way the battery is facing. You may have to rotate the battery or change its voltage by double clicking on it.

Drag objects from the list to the testing area, making sure they are connecting in the red circles and answer the questions below.

Identify which items below made the light bulb light up (conductor) and which did not (insulator).

Coin
Pencil
Dog
Dollar bill
Eraser
Hand
Paper clip
Wire

Conductor
Insulator

Pencils are made out of a graphite center (the "lead") and a wooden exterior. Think about how brightly the bulb lit up when you tested the pencil. In 3-5 complete sentences, explain what happened and what the reasoning for that could be. Answers less than 3 complete sentences will receive 0 points.

In the top right corner, while the circuit is connected and the bulb is lit up, switch the current from electrons to conventional. Describe the motion of the electrons and how it differs from the conventional direction.