Electricity for kids

1. Electricity
Part I – Circuits

2. People
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Edison
 Have you heard of these people?
 Why are they important?

3.  Benjamin Franklin
Proved that lightning was electricity by flying a
kite in a lightning storm
Helped people understand the principles of
electricity
• Thomas Edison
– Invented the electrical light bulb

4. What is electricity?
 Electricity is a form of energy
 It is caused by a flow of tiny particles called
electrons through a material

5. Electricity
Electricity is a flow of electric charges along a wire.

6. Electricity
Electricity is a flow of electric charges along a wire.

7. Electricity
Electricity is a flow of electric charges along a wire.

8. Electricity
Electricity is a flow of electric charges along a wire.

9. Electricity
Electricity is a flow of electric charges along a wire.

10. Electricity
Electricity is a flow of electric charges along a wire.

11. Electricity
Electricity is a flow of electric charges along a wire.
This flow of electric charge is called a current.
Current is measured in the units of Amps (A).

12. What is an Electrical Circuit?
 A circuit is an electrical device that provides a path for
electricity to flow

13. Complete or Incomplete?
 A complete circuit is where all the components of a
circuit are joined up and there are no gaps
 The pathway for electricity is complete

14. Complete or Incomplete?
 An incomplete circuit is where the pathway for
electricity is broken
 The electricity cannot flow

15. Circuit Diagrams
cell switchlamp wires

16. Component Symbols – a cell
 The cell stores chemical
energy and transfers it to
electrical energy when a
circuit is connected.
 The long line is the positive end
 The short line is the negative
end

17. Battery
 When two or more cells
are connected together
we call this a Battery.
 The cells chemical energy
is used up pushing a
current round a circuit.
 It is important that each
cell faces the right way

18. Switch
 A switch can be open (as shown) or
closed
 When the switch is open, the circuit
is incomplete – no electricity can
flow
 What happens when the switch is
closed?

19. Bulb / Lamp
 The lamp lights up when
electricity flows through it
 What would happen to a
lamp if there was an open
switch in the circuit?

20. Wires
The wires which carry electricity consist of two parts:
• The metal wires (conductor).
• The plastic coating around the metal wires (insulator).
• Prevents people from being electrocuted.
wires