KIDS ELECTRONICS

KIDS ELECTRONICS

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Electronics?

Electronics are here to stay! I bet you can think of a lot of things that are electronic such as computers, calculators and VCRs. Grocery stores, hospitals, airports and schools are full of electronic devices.
Wouldn't it be great to understand how and why all these electronic devices work? You can learn about the basics of electronics by looking at magnetism, static electricity and simple circuits with some very simple experiments. Maybe you have already done some of these science experiments.
These experiments can be done for very little money. Some of the items you need can be found around the house, such as puffed cereal, tables and newspapers. Other stuff can be found at a hardware store, such as insulated wire and different types of nails. Radio Shack is a good place to find wire, also. Try a thrift shop to find old records and wool clothing.
Are you a Boy Scout or a Girl Scout? Some of these experiments can be used for badge requirements for Cub Scouts. Whatever the reason you try these experiments, you can have lots of fun at the same time as you learn about some of the basic forces of science!


These are the experiments !

# 1 Fluorescent Bulb	# 2 Radio Harmonics	# 3 Electronic Symbols	# 4 Lines of Force	# 5 Induction of Magnetism	# 6 Balloon Stick
# 7 Newspaper Stick	# 8 Jumping Cereal	# 9 Lemon Battery	# 10 Conductivity	# 11 Magnetize a Screwdriver	# 12 Review the Symbols

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Experiment #1 Storing Energy



"Fluorescent Bulb Trick"

Stuff you need

• A self-exciting fluorescent bulb
• High-power transmission lines
• An adult to take you to the power lines

How to do it

• Go to the power lines.
• Stand underneath the lines and hold the bulb up.

Result

• The bulb lights up.

Why

• Capacitance is created between the earth (ground) and the power lines.
• Capacitance is energy being stored (in storage).
• Under the high-power lines there is enough stray energy to excite the gas in the tube enough to make it glow.

Extra stuff to do

• Try experiment with other bulbs, neon and or different sizes.
• Try experiment using different high-power lines.
• Try the experiment at different times of the year.
 Go back to the table.


Experiment # 2 Harmonics

"AM Station Harmonics"

Stuff you need

• Locate an AM radio antenna in your area (Look in the phone book, or call around)

How to do

• Ask your parent or an adult to drive you to the AM station antenna
• Tune your radio to that station's frequency (1450 etc.)
• When you are right at the station, turn the dial up and down and notice at how many different points you get the same station.
• These are harmonic intervals of the original.
• Drive away from the station and notice when you are far enough away that all the harmonics disappear, and you can only tune in the original station.

Extra stuff to do

• Try other stations, FM & AM
 Go back to the table.


Electronic Symbols

Here are five basic symbols that you will find on electronic wiring diagrams, along with a brief definition. Look them over. When you get to #12 you can see if you remember the name of each symbol.
 Battery--a DC (direct current) voltage energy source.
 Ground--the common or reference point in an electrical circuit.
 Resistor--an electrical component that opposes current.
 Capacitor--an electrical device that can store an electrical charge.
 Diode--a one-way conductor that allows current to flow only in one direction.
 Go back to the table.


Experiment # 4 Magnetism

"Lines of Force"

Stuff you need

• A sheet of paper
• A magnet
• Steel filings (these can be made by taking a steel wool pad and pulling it apart until you get a small pile of tiny pieces of steel)

How to do

• Set the magnet on the table
• Cover the magnet with a piece of paper
• Sprinkle the steel filings over the paper

Result

• The filings will take the shape of a "figure eight ", which is the lines of force of the magnetic field

Why

• The filings will line up along the lines of magnetic force which are close together at the poles of the magnet and farther apart as you move away from the poles.

Extra stuff to do

• Use different sizes and shapes of magnets
• Use different textures of paper
 Go back to the table.


Experiment # 5 Magnetics

"Magnetic Induction"

Stuff you need

• Magnet
• Several paper clips

How to do

• Hang one paperclip from the magnet.
• Use the hanging clip to pick up other paper clips.

Result

• See how many paper clips you can pick up using only one magnet.

Why

• The magnet's lines of force are transmitted through the first paperclip to the second one by induction.

Extra stuff to do

• Use different sizes of paper clips
• Try paper clips that have plastic coating
 Go back to the table.


Experiment # 6 Static Electricity

"The Balloon Stick trick"

Stuff you need

• A balloon
• A piece of wool

How to do

• Blow up the balloon
• Rub the balloon with the wool cloth (in the winter you can usually just rub it on your hair)
• Stick the balloon on a wall or ceiling if you are tall enough

Result

• The Balloon will hang where you placed it for a while. The dryer the air is, the longer it will hang.

Why

• When you rub the balloon, you remove some of the electrons from it. This gives the balloon a positive charge.
• The molecules that are missing their electrons form a bond with molecules on the wall.

Extra stuff to do

• Try different sizes and shapes of balloons
• Rub balloon on different items
 Go back to the table.


Experiment # 7 Electrostatic charges

"Newspaper will �stick' to table without glue"

Stuff you need

• Smooth sheet of newspaper
• Smooth table top

How to do

• Put newspaper on the table
• With both hands rub it against the table
• Notice how it sticks to the table
• Lift up a corner of the paper and see what happens
• Rub the paper with a pencil or different pieces of cloth and see what happens

Result

• Newspaper will cling to the table

Why

• Electrostatic charges are created by friction

Extra stuff to do

• Try different kinds and thicknesses of paper
• Use different surfaces to rub the paper on
 Go back to the table.


Experiment # 8 Electrical Charges

"Observe Puffed cereal leap into the air."

Stuff you Need

• Puffed Rice Cereal
• Plate
• Wool Cloth
• Old Record

How to do it

• Pour cereal onto plate
• Rub one side of record with wool cloth
• Hold rubbed side of record over cereal then slowly move it toward the cereal
• Observe the cereal jump to the record

Result

• Cereal will leap into air and some will stick to the record

Why

• Due to static electricity the cereal is electrically charged and is attracted to record.

Extra stuff to do

• Try with other cereal
• Rub with different items
• Try with sugar instead of cereal
 Go back to the table.


Experiment # 9 Create a Battery

"The Lemon Battery"

Stuff you need

• A lemon
• A copper nail
• A zinc nail
• Some insulated wire (plastic coated)

How to do

• Cut two pieces of wire about 6 inches long.
• Remove 1 inch of insulation from each end of both wires
• Wrap the bare wire around each of the nails
• Stick the nails in the lemon about two inches apart
• Touch the other ends of the wires to your tongue

Result

• You will feel a tingle on your tongue

Why

Extra stuff to do

• Try using other types of fruit
 Go back to the table.


Experiment # 10 Conductivity

"Complete a Circuit"

Stuff you need

• Battery, size C
• Piece of aluminum foil, about 4 inches by 12 inches
• Lightbulb from a flashlight

How to do

• Fold aluminum foil several times to make a strip 12 inches long and about 1/2 inch wide
• Set the battery on one end of the strip
• Hold the metal base of the lightbulb to the other end of the battery
• Touch the metal base of the lightbulb with the aluminim foil strip

Result

• The bulb will light up

Why

• The aluminum foil strip makes a path for the energy in the battery to follow
• The energy follows the path and lights up the bulb

Extra stuff to do

• Try different sizes of batteries
• Try stacking two batteries together
• Try touching the strip to different places
 Go back to the table.


Experiment # 11 Magnetism

"Magnetize a Screwdriver"

Stuff you need

• Screwdriver
• Large dry-cell battery
• Insulated wire

How to do

• Wrap the wire several times around the screwdriver.
• Touch the bare ends of the wire to the battery terminals briefly (expect some sparks).
• Take wire off battery then test the screwdriver for magnetism.

Result

• Screws, nail and other metal material will stick to the screwdriver.

Why

• The screwdriver is magnetized by inserting it into a coil then by charging it with a voltage.

Extra stuff to do

• Try to pick up all types of material, check what is able to be picked up.
• Time how long the screwdriver remains magnetized.
 Go back to the table.


Experiment # 12 Do you remember?

Review Electronic Symbols

As you look at these symbols, see if you remember what each one stands for. Check back to #3 to see if you got them right.

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 See some links for more fun Web sites!
 Books where you can find more experiments!
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Want to check out some other places on the Web? Here's a few sites to check out.

 Bill Nye the Science Guy is definitely one of the coolest when it comes to talking about science.
 The Yuckiest Site on the Internet is neat. Check out worms and roaches.
 The Exploratorium in San Francisco is the original hands-on kids science playground.
 National Geographic can take you around the world.
 The Meteor Market is a great place to find out more about those interesting bits of rock that fall from the sky.
 Gus Town is a place where its fun to just hang out and play.
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Here's some books!

What Happens If?: Science experiments you can do by yourself; Rose Wyler; Walker and Company; New York; 1974. 

Science Fun: A taste of the Joy of Learning; James and Mildred Hyer; David McKay Company; New York; 1973. 

Experiments in Magnetism and Electricity; Harry Sootin; Franklin Watts, Inc.; New York; 1962. 

Learn and Discover: Fun Science; David L. Drotar; Playmore, Inc., publishers and Waldman Publishing Corp.; New York; 1990. 

Science Can Be Fun; Keith Wicks: Lerner Publications Company; Minneapolis; 1988. 

Experiments With Electricity; Helen J. Challand; Children's Press; 1986. 

Science For You: 112 Illustrated Experiments; Bob Brown; Tab Books, Inc.; Blue Ridge Summit, PA; 1988.
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This page is part of a class project at the Erie Institute of Technology. EIT is a technical school that provides certificates and Associate Degrees in Electronic EngineeringTechnology.
Our Psychology class, which is presently enrolled in the 2-year Associate Degree Program, has been divided into teams and each team is creating their own Web site page. If you enjoyed looking at our page, I suggest you take a look at some of the other sites. The Seniors Page has a little quiz. Answer the questions, send the form, and you may win The Hat !




"Electronics are the wave of the future!"


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Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

Jelane's Free Web Graphics For the edge, button and bar graphics.

 For most of the Icons.

 To help keep track.

And a very special thanks to Aaron R. for his patience while his mom worked on building this page.


updated April 21, 1997