Name ______________________________ Date _________

Static Electricity, Circuits, and Electromagnetism Stations

Station 1: Circuits
Objective: To understand how to build a circuit and understand how it works.
Procedure:
1. At this station you should find various materials that can be put together to create an electrical
circuit. Experiment with the different parts to determine what components are necessary to create a
circuit.

a. What are the necessary components needed to make a circuit?

b. Explain how your circuit works: (use subatomic particles to explain)

c. What causes your circuit to fail? (consider insulators and conductors)

Important vocabulary: use this space to write down important vocabulary words you need to understand
from this station. Define them in your own words or draw a picture, etc.

Station 2: Electrostatic Forces (Static Electricity)

Objective: To understand how electric charges can move and create forces.

Procedure:
1 . Figure out how to get the can to move without touching it.
a. Write a hypothesis about the movement of the subatomic particles causing the can to move.

b. After writing your hypothesis, watch this animation on the iPad:

c. Explain how the animation supports or rejects your hypothesis?

2. Figure out how to get two balloons on a string to repel each other.
a. Explain your procedure and why it was successful.

3. Figure out how to use the balloon to pick up shredded paper.

a. Explain your procedure and why it was successful.

4. Discuss, then explain here how questions 1-3 are related:

Important vocabulary: use this space to write down important vocabulary words you need to understand
from this station. Define them in your own words or draw a picture, etc.

tation 3: Discovering Electromagnetism

Objective: To understand that there is a relationship between electricity and magnetism.
Procedure:

1. Place the compass on the Oersted board and align your dial to true north without a battery. Next
connect the battery at your station and write down your observations and measure the degree of
rotation of the needle. Try to get the needle to move a different direction.
a. Use the results from your Oersted experiment to describe why the needle does not always point
north. (Use the Electricity book pg. 46/47 to help understand whats going on)

b. Repeat your experiment with the compass in different locations and see if you have any new
observations and record below.

Important vocabulary: use this space to write down important vocabulary words you need to understand
from this station. Define them in your own words or draw a picture, etc.

Station 4: Discovering Electromagnetism B

Objective: To apply the relationship between electricity and magnetism by building an electromagnet and by
magnetizing various materials.

Procedure:

1. Use the materials at your station to create an electromagnet. (If you dont know what an
electromagnet is use your resources to discover what it is).

a.

Explain how you were able to create magnetism with the materials given.

b. What variables could you change to increase the electromagnetic force?

c. How could you measure that you have a greater electromagnetic force?

2. Experiment with your materials to see if you can create a magnet without using a power source.

a.

Explain the materials you used and your process if you were able to create a magnet.

b. Research and describe what allows an object to become magnetic.