How to Make an Electrical Conductivity Test
As scientists worked with electricity, they found that current flows through some materials and not others. This experiment shows you how to make an electrical test that shows which materials act as conductors.
Materials You Will Need:
- Energizer® Power Pack
- Bulb holder or alternate insulated bulb holder
- (3) 12" pieces of number 22 insulated copper bell wire with approximately 1" of insulation stripped off all ends
Please Read Carefully!
All experiments use safe, low-voltage battery power. Household electrical current contains high voltage that could cause serious injury. DO NOT use household electrical current for any of these experiments. ALL experiments should be conducted under adult supervision.
- Carefully follow wiring instructions for each experiment. Improper wiring can result in battery leakage and/or rupture.
- DO NOT take a battery apart. Contact with internal battery material can cause injury.
- DO NOT dispose in fire, recharge, put in backwards, or mix with used or other battery types. This may cause batteries to explode, leak and cause personal injury.
Steps to Make an Electrical Conductivity Test
- Connect one wire end to bulb holder. Connect other wire from bulb holder to positive (+) lead of Power Pack. Connect remaining wire to negative (-) lead of Power Pack.
- Touch ends of wire to different objects such as nail, screw, paper clip, plastic and wooden spoons, glass jar, aluminum can, rubber bowl scraper and other household items. If the bulb lights, you have completed the circuit, showing that the object is a conductor. If the bulb does not light, the material may be a non-conductor of electricity.
- Make a chart of the materials you test.
Now you'll know which materials to use when designing your own electrical experiments and games!
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