Spark it Up: Electricity and Magnetism
This activity promotes enthusiasm, interest and awe in science, further developing understanding of the key concepts of electricity and magnetism in an hour of inspiring demonstrations.
Through multiple demonstrations, students are taken through the principles of the following, (with examples of physical demonstrations in brackets) and explore the historical and economic contexts:
• Generation of DC current from batteries - (the potato battery)
• The link between magnetism and current - (magnetic field around a wire)
• Different magnetic strengths from different materials - (wood, copper, iron etc)
• Generation of AC current from a moving magnetic field - (voltage induced in a coil)
• Putting it all together - (the transformer, generating high voltages, electric shocks)
• Interesting magnetic materials - (generating sound by magnetostriction)
• Electric fields - (field strengthener at a distance by lighting a fluorescent lamp without wires, the plasma speaker)
• Very high voltages and lightning strikes - (the Tesla coil)
Activity details
Duration: one hour
Cost: TBA
Maximum student numbers in a session: 120
Planning and running the session
Location, furniture and equipment requirements: A hall or classroom with tables and chairs to suit required number of students.
School staff support expectation: The teacher and any auxiliary staff are expected to support the students in their activities and learning. Teachers are also responsible for maintaining discipline during the activity.
Risk evaluation: will be supplied on booking
To book
Please download and complete the booking form and return to STEM Sussex via email or fax.
For more information contact STEM Sussex
