ENERGY TRANSFER AND TRANSFORMATION

GRADE 5, UNIT 3

HOW DO WE USE ELECTRICITY?ELECTRICITY POWERS NEARLY EVERY MODERN GADGET, FROM REFRIGERATORS TO SMARTPHONES. BUT DO YOU KNOW HOW ELECTRICITY WORKS? YOU'LL FIND OUT HOW ELECTRICITY KEEPS OUR DAILY LIVES FLOWING.

WHAT IS ELECTRICAL ENERGY?

• A FORM OF ENERGY THAT IS PRODUCED WHEN ELECTRONS MOVE FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.

• ELECTRONS ARE PARTICLES THAT ARE IN THE SPACE AROUND THE NUCLEUS OF AN ATOM.

• THE FORCES OF ATTRACTION AND REPULSION MAKE ELECTRONS MOVE.

WHERE DOES THE WORD 'ELECTRICITY' COME FROM?

• ELECTRONS, ELECTRICITY, ELECTRONIC AND OTHER WORDS THAT BEGIN WITH "ELECTR..." ALL ORIGINATE FROM THE GREEK WORD "ELEKTOR," MEANING "BEAMING SUN." IN GREEK, "ELEKTRON" IS THE WORD FOR AMBER.

• AMBER IS A VERY PRETTY GOLDISH BROWN "STONE" THAT SPARKLES ORANGE AND YELLOW IN SUNLIGHT. AMBER IS ACTUALLY FOSSILIZED TREE SAP! IT'S THE STUFF USED IN THE MOVIE "JURASSIC PARK."

• ANCIENT GREEKS DISCOVERED THAT AMBER BEHAVED ODDLY - LIKE ATTRACTING FEATHERS - WHEN RUBBED BY FUR OR OTHER OBJECTS. THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS THAT CAUSED THIS PHENOMENON.

• BUT THE GREEKS HAD DISCOVERED ONE OF THE FIRST EXAMPLES OF STATIC ELECTRICITY. THE LATIN WORD, ELECTRICUS, MEANS TO "PRODUCE FROM AMBER BY FRICTION."

• SO, WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD ELECTRICITY FROM GREEK

AND LATIN WORDS THAT WERE ABOUT AMBER.

HOW DOES AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT WORK?

• LET’S LOOK AT SOME PARTS OF A CIRCUIT.

• WHAT DO YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE …

BULB WIRE BATTERY

• WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO MAKE A CIRCUIT

TO LIGHT THE BULB?

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO MAKE A CIRCUIT TO LIGHT THE BULB?

• TRY IT. =

• NOW TRY IT WITH TWO WIRE.

Let’s explore Electric Current

THINK ABOUT ELECTRICITY WRITE YOUR RESPONSES IN YOUR NOTEBOOK.

1. IS ELECTRICITY FLOWING THROUGH THE SYSTEMS YOU BUILT? HOW DO YOU KNOW?

2. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE NECESSARY ELEMENTS OF ALL COMPLETE CIRCUITS?

3. HOW CAN WE CONTROL THE FLOW OF ELECTRICITY IN A CIRCUIT?

4. WHAT KIND OF ENERGY MAKES A BATTERY WORK?

5. NAME THE TRANSFERS OF ENERGY IN THE CIRCUIT YOU BUILT.

6. WHAT ARE YOU WONDERING NOW?

HOW DO YOU THINK A BATTERY WORKS?

• A BATTERY CONTAINS 2 DIFFERENT METALS.

• METALS LIKE ALL MATTER ARE MADE UP OF ATOMS.

• ATOMS ARE MADE OF PROTONS, NEUTRONS, AND ELECTRONS.

• ONE OF THE METALS IN THE BATTERY WANTS TO GIVE UP ITS ELECTRONS AND THE OTHER METAL WANTS TO ACCEPT THEM.

• CONNECTING THE WIRES, AND THE BULBS TO A BATTERY, GIVES THE ELECTRONS A PATH TO TRAVEL FROM ONE METAL TO ANOTHER.

• THOSE TRAVELING ELECTRONS ARE ELECTRICITY.

MORE ON BATTERY POWER

HOW IS EITHER OF THE CIRCUIT MODELS YOU BUILT SIMILAR TO A FLASHLIGHT’S CIRCUIT?

HOW DOES A FLASHLIGHT WORK?

•WHEN THE SWITCH OF A FLASHLIGHT IS PUSHED INTO THE ON POSITION, IT MAKES CONTACT BETWEEN TWO CONTACT STRIPS, WHICH BEGIN A FLOW OF ELECTRICITY, POWERED FROM THE BATTERY.

•THE BATTERIES REST ATOP A SMALL SPRING THAT IS CONNECTED TO A CONTACT STRIP.

•THE CONTACT STRIP RUNS DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE BATTERY CASE AND MAKES CONTACT WITH ONE SIDE OF THE SWITCH. THERE IS ANOTHER FLAT CONTACT STRIP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SWITCH, WHICH RUNS TO THE LAMP (LIGHT BULB), PROVIDING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.

•THERE IS ANOTHER PART CONNECTED TO THE LAMP THAT MAKES CONTACT WITH THE POSITIVE ELECTRODE OF THE TOP BATTERY, THUS COMPLETING THE CIRCUIT TO THE LAMP AND COMPLETING THE GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY.

1. HOW SHOULD YOU CONNECT THE MATERIALS YOU HAVE TO MAKE A PATH TO TEST THE FLOW OF ELECTRICITY?

2. MAKE A PLAN WITH YOUR GROUP.

3. CONNECT THE PARTS TO TEST YOUR PLAN. DOES THE BULB LIGHT UP? IF NOT KEEP TRYING.

4. DRAW A PICTURE OF YOUR WORKING CIRCUIT. SHOW HOW THE PARTS WORK.

Lab # 7: Get Connected

Activity #2

ACTIVITY #2 WHICH COMMON MATERIALS ARE GOOD CONDUCTORS FOR THE FLOW OF ELECTRICITY?

Object Prediction Conductor or Insulator

penny

Pencil (wood part)

Pencil (metal part)

Eraser

Paper clip

nail

Plastic spoon

______________

LOOKING BACK

1. WERE YOUR PREDICTIONS CORRECT? HOW DO YOU KNOW?

2. HOW ARE THE MATERIALS THAT CONDUCTED ELECTRICITY ALLOWING THE BULB TO LIGHT ALIKE?

3. WHICH MATERIAL CREATED THE BRIGHTEST BULB?

4. WHAT ARE YOU WONDERING NOW?

ELECTRICAL RESOURCESTO EXPLORE

SIMPLE CIRCUITS

ELECTRICITY IN OUR LIVES

BUILDING CIRCUITS

PARTS OF THE CIRCUIT AND THEIR JOBSQUIZ

1. SOURCE OF CURRENT

2. CARRIES CURRENT

3. TURNS CIRCUIT ON AND OFF

4. CHANGES ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO LIGHT

A. BATTERY

B. BULB

C. SWITCH

D. WIRE

5. What does making a complete circuit mean?6. Why are many wires coated with plastic?

PARTS OF THE CIRCUIT AND THEIR JOBSQUIZ

1. SOURCE OF CURRENT

2. CARRIES CURRENT

3. TURNS CIRCUIT ON AND OFF

4. CHANGES ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO LIGHT

A. BATTERY

B. BULB

C. SWITCH

D. WIRE

5. What does making a complete circuit mean?6. Why are many wires coated with plastic?

WHAT IS THE TRANSFER OF ENERGY?

ENERGY CAN MOVE FROM ONE OBJECT TO ANOTHER.

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LIGHT ELECTRICAL CHEMICAL

EXPLORE LEARNING GIZMOS: ENERGY CONVERSIONS

HOW IS ELECTRICAL ENERGY USED IN THE REAL WORLD?

Electric Girl

TRANSFORMATION OF ENERGYELECTRIC CURRENT

A.

B.

A.

C.

B.

B.

WRITING PROMPTS

MAKE A DRAWING

WITH LABELSCREATE A DRAWING TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING YOU WOULD NEED TO MAKE A LIGHT-BULB LIGHT OR

A RADIO WORK.

LABEL YOUR DRAWING AND USE ARROWS TO SHOW THE DIRECTION OF THE CURRENT. DESCRIBE HOW THE CIRCUIT WORKS.

WRITE TO EXPLAIN

A CLASSMATE IS STUDYING A CORD THAT CONNECTS A LAMP TO A WALL OUTLET. THE CLASSMATE SEES THAT THE INSIDE OF THE CORD IS MADE OF METAL WIRE, AND THAT THE OUTSIDE OF THE CORD IS MADE OF PLASTIC. EXPLAIN WHY EACH OF THESE MATERIALS IS USED IN THE CORD.

Adapted from Discovery Education

CONCEPT REVIEW: ELECTRIC CURRENT

1. WHY DO WE NEED ELECTRIC CIRCUITS?

ANSWER: WE NEED ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS TO POWER THE

ELECTRICAL THINGS WE USE EVERY DAY, LIKE LIGHT BULBS.

2. WHAT IS AN ELECTRIC CURRENT?

ANSWER: AN ELECTRIC CURRENT IS A STEADY FLOW OF

CHARGED PARTICLES, ALSO KNOWN AS ELECTRONS.

Adapted from Discovery Education

CONCEPT REVIEW: ELECTRIC CURRENT

3. WHY DO ELECTRIC CIRCUITS NEED TO BE CLOSED?

ANSWER: ELECTRIC CIRCUITS MUST BE CLOSED OR THE

ELECTRONS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FLOW. A SWITCH

IS SOMETHING THAT OPENS A CIRCUIT. THE LIGHT

BULB ONLY WORKS WHEN THE CIRCUIT IS CLOSED.

4. WHY DO CIRCUITS USUALLY INCLUDE WIRES LIKE COPPER OR IRON?

ANSWER: CIRCUITS USE METAL WIRES BECAUSE THEY ARE

GOOD CONDUCTORS. THIS MEANS THEY ALLOW THE

CHARGED PARTICLES TO MOVE THROUGH THE WIRES.

Adapted from Discovery Education

CONCEPT REVIEW: ELECTRIC CURRENT

5. WHAT ARE INSULATORS?

ANSWER: INSULATORS ARE THINGS THAT DON’T ALLOW

THE CHARGED PARTICLES TO MOVE THROUGH THEM.

EXAMPLES ARE WOOD, CLAY, AND RUBBER

6. HOW CAN ELECTRICAL ENERGY CHANGE IN ELECTRICAL

CURRENTS?

ANSWER: ELECTRICAL ENERGY CAN TURN INTO OTHER

KINDS OF ENERGY. ELECTRICITY CAN TURN

INTO HEAT IN A TOASTER.

Adapted from Discovery Education

A. MAKE A CIRCUIT DRAWING THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING YOU WOULD NEED TO MAKE A LIGHT BULB LIGHT. LABEL ALL THE COMPONENTS IN YOUR DRAWING AND USE ARROWS TO SHOW THE DIRECTION OF THE CURRENT, AND THEN DESCRIBE HOW THE CIRCUIT WORKS USING THE VOCABULARY AND INFORMATION YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM THE LESSON.

B. A SCIENTIST IS STUDYING A CORD THAT CONNECTS A LAMP TO A WALL OUTLET. THE SCIENTIST SEES THAT THE INSIDE OF THE CORD IS MADE OF METAL WIRE. THE OUTSIDE OF THE CORD IS MADE OF PLASTIC. EXPLAIN WHY EACH OF THESE MATERIALS IS USED IN THE CORD.

Brief Constructed Response: Electric Circuits

Adapted from Discovery Education

ELECTRICITY PROJECT IDEAS

• GIVE A PRESENTATION

• ACT IT OUT

• WRITE A STORY ABOUT…• WASTING ENERGY DAILY.

• LOOSING ELECTRICITY FOR ONE WEEK.

• REALIZING THAT CONSERVING ENERGY HELPS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

• CREATE A MODEL

• WRITE A REPORT OR AN ESSAY

• COMPOSE A SONG

• MAKE A POSTER

PROJECT IDEA:

• WATCH THE VIDEO SEGMENT ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCE, VOLTS, TRANSFORMERS, AMPERES. THEN CONDUCT RESEARCH ON THE ELECTRICAL CONCEPTS MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO AND CREATE A POSTER TO EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT. YOUR POSTER SHOULD CONTAIN BOTH ILLUSTRATIONS AND WRITTEN FACTS. BE READY TO PRESENT YOUR POSTER TO THE CLASS, AND THEN DISPLAY IT IN THE CLASSROOM.

Adapted from Discovery Education

PROJECT IDEA: WHERE DOES SOUTH FLORIDA GET ITS ENERGY?

• CONDUCT RESEARCH ON WHERE ENERGY IN SOUTH FLORIDA COMES FROM. LOCATE THE NEAREST POWER PLANT, AND THROUGH SIMPLE INTERNET RESEARCH, IDENTIFY WHAT TYPE OF FUEL IT USES TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY (FOSSIL FUELS, HYDRO POWER, WIND, ETC). CREATE A POSTER THAT ILLUSTRATES HOW THE ELECTRICITY FROM THE POWER PLANT ENDS UP IN OUR HOMES. ALSO INCLUDE IDEAS IN THEIR POSTERS ABOUT WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSERVE ENERGY.Adapted from Discovery Education