Electrical conductivity

ID: 
http://vocabulary.curriculum.edu.au/scot/9442

Will it Conduct?

This online resource looks at electrical conductivity.

The resource provides a lesson plan for a hands-on activity where students build a conductivity tester to explore the difference between electrical conductors and insulators.

Details on how to build the conductivity tester from a battery, light bulb and wires are provided. The resource also lists a number of solid and liquid substances that can be tested to determine if they are conductors or insulators.

Does Salt Water Conduct?

This online resource investigates the conductivity of salt water.

The resource gives details for a practical activity where students build a saltwater circuit; an electrical circuit that uses salt water as a conductor in the circuit.

Students can investigate the conductivity of salt water, and develop an understanding of how the amount of salt in a solution impacts on how much electrical current flows through the circuit.

They can also learn about one real-world application of a saltwater circuit—a desalination plant.

Resistance of a wire

These downloadable resources investigate the electrical resistance of wire.

The resources detail a student practical activity that looks at the factors that determine electrical resistance in a wire.

The independent variables of length and cross-sectional area are investigated for nichrome wire.

Graphs can be drawn to confirm the relationship of these variables to the resistance, and the concept of resistivity is introduced and explained.

Sample answers are provided along with a sample Excel spreadsheet of data tables and graphs.

Ohm's Law

This downloadable resource investigates Ohm's Law.

The resources details a practical activity where students measure the voltage across, and current through, a 56 ohm (or similar) resistor.

A graph of Voltage vs Current gives a straight line and the gradient is the value of the resistance.

Sample answers are also provided.

Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S9U04 (Year 9)

Conductivity - Conductors and Insulators

This online resource show how to make a simple conductivity tester.

The resource has teacher background notes, worksheets and step-by-step instructions on how to make a simple conductivity tester using a battery and light bulb.

This activity is designed to teach the difference between electrical conductors and insulators.

Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S6U03 (Year 6)

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