Lesson 69 of 84 · Forces
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabHow Circuits Work (Part 3)
How Circuits Work (Part 3).
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Speed isn't the same as force. Don't mix them up.
Mind = Blown
⚡ Static electricity is the same physics as lightning, just smaller.
Make a hypothesis first
Guess: where does the energy go?
What You'll Learn
Electricity flows through circuits. A simple circuit needs a power source, a conductor (wire), and a load (like a light bulb). Breaking the circuit stops the flow of electricity.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- pencils
- toy cars
- ramps
- string
Safety First
- Dispose of materials properly after the experiment.
- Handle glass items carefully to avoid breakage.
Steps
Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.
Create a Rube Goldberg machine with at least 5 steps that demonstrates energy transfer from one form to another.
Note any unexpected results and think about why they happened.
Share your findings with the class or a partner and discuss what you learned.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What is inertia?
Where you see this in real life
You use this every time you flip a light switch, ride a bike, or kick a ball.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Time how long a small ball rolls down something, then change the slope and try again.
For the dinner table
“Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
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