Stop for a minute and try to imagine your world without electrical power and electronic gadgets. No convenient appliances in the kitchen, no electric lights. No computers, MP3 players, television, or video games. Your life would be completely different, wouldn't it? Electricity and electronics are so central to modern life that, paradoxically, they're easy to overlook. Stop overlooking them now and try a hand at one of our projects to explore the science of how electricity works or build a cool electronics gadget.
Here's a puzzle you may have heard before which you can build as a simple electric circuit. First, the puzzle: a farmer is traveling to market with his cat, a chicken and some corn. He has to cross a river, and the only way to cross is in a small boat which can hold the farmer and just one of the three items he has with him. The problem is, he has to be very careful about what he chooses to leave behind at any time. If the cat and chicken are left alone, the cat will eat the chicken. If…
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Have you ever had to take prescription medicine to get over an illness? To get better, it is important to take the
medication in the proper manner and at the proper time. Wouldn't it be cool if there were a tool or piece of automated
equipment that held your medicine and reminded you to take it? A tool that would know when you picked up the bottle and
took your medicine? Building a smart medicine cabinet is what this science project is all about!
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Elec_p067
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
If you decide to extend the sensor project, you will have to purchase a board and LEDs.
Cost
Average ($50 - $100)
Safety
Always wear safety goggles when operating and using tools. Adult supervision is recommended.
In this science project, you will build what might be the world's simplest motor. It has just four basic parts: magnets, a battery, a screwdriver, and a short piece of wire. It takes only minutes to assemble, but it provides a wonderful device to explore how electricity and magnetism combine to produce a fast-spinning motor.
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Elec_p065
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Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
Some familiarity with basic electronics and physics would be helpful, but is not required.
Material Availability
Specialty items are required. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
Cost
Average ($50 - $100)
Safety
Minor injury is possible. Wear safety goggles at all times. Be sure to read the important safety notes at the beginning of the Experimental Procedure before you begin.
An electric current produces a magnetic field. You can take advantage of this fact to make a simple apparatus to test the electrical conductivity of various materials, including both solids and liquids. The detector consists of a coil of wire, with a magnetic compass inside it. You connect one end of the coil to a D-cell battery. The other end of the coil is connected to whatever material you are testing, and the material, in turn, is connected to the other end of the D-cell. In other…
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Water is an interesting thing. We drink it, swim in it, and wash ourselves with it. We can get energy from
water by damming it and sending it through a turbine. But did you know that we can use the natural electrical
charges present in water and a Kelvin electrostatic generator to create sparks? You can even use a
Kelvin electrostatic generator to temporarily light a bulb! Now that is one bright idea!
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Elec_p069
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Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
You will need to visit your local hardware store to purchase plumbing items to build the Kelvin electrostatic generator. You will also need a hand saw, a drill, a heat gun, a digital scale, a fan, and a dehumidifier. See the Materials and Equipment list for details. Cost of the project may be lower depending on what tools you already have available.
Cost
High ($100 - $150)
Safety
Parts of the Kelvin electrostatic generator require use of a hand saw and a drill.
Wear safety goggles when using power tools. Adult supervision is required.
Have you ever gotten a shock touching a doorknob after walking across a carpet? Static charge is responsible for that shock. Wouldn't it be cool to save up and store all of that charge in a homemade jar? It would almost be like storing lightning. This science project will show you how to do that.
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Elec_p049
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- Less Details
Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Average ($50 - $100)
Safety
Since this experiment deals with electricity, it is best to have an adult supervise. A mild to moderate electric shock is possible if care is not taken. Follow all directions as stated.
