Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

My son wants to build a small tesla coil for his science fair. Is this feasible for 5th grade & if so where are the best sources to get instructions on doing this?

Thank you

JennRalph,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the forum. I will say that a tesla coil is an ambitious project. I think a 5th grader could be successful, but would definitely need adult supervision with someone who has experience soldering electronic components. There are a couple of diy kits as well as project instructions to build from scratch to be found on line, but all of these can be quite advanced for a beginner. You would have to judge your child's skill level or access to someone with experience to help. One last thing to consider...The tesla coil is a device designed to amplify voltage to the point it jumps through the air...effectively creating a lightning bolt. While the amperage should remain small, this can still be dangerous to nearby electronics and/or humans if not designed and controlled properly.

If you still wish to pursue this here are some links to check out:

Kit
http://onetesla.com/products/kits/onete ... l-kit.html

DIY
http://m.instructables.com/id/How-to-Bu ... esla-Coil/

There are tons of YouTube videos and the like on the Internet to research if this project is right for you. I provide the two links to get you started on what may be involved.