Sound and electricity
Conductor or insulator? Test ten things
Which materials in your house let electricity through?
Watch first
Feel how a vibration turns into a sound you can hear.
What you need
Tick each one as you find it — 0 of 3 ready.
Stay safe: Only ever use batteries for this. Never test anything using a wall socket.
Plan the fair test
- Change: The object in the gap
- Measure: Whether the bulb lights
- Keep the same: Same cell, same bulb, same gap each time
Objectives this evidences
- Construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts
- Recognise some common conductors and insulators, and associate metals with being good conductors
Do it, one step at a time
Step 1 of 4
- Step 1. Build a circuit with the cell and bulb but leave a gap in the loop.
- Step 2. Check it works by touching the two bare ends together — the bulb should light.
- Step 3. Hold each object across the gap in turn and write down whether the bulb lights.
- Step 4. Sort your ten objects into conductors and insulators, and look for a pattern.
What should happen
Metals conduct, so do pencil leads. Plastic, wood, rubber, card and cork do not.
Think about: Your results should show one clear pattern. What is it, and which object breaks it?
Write up your result
A sentence or two is enough to save it.
The lessons behind this practical
Each one opens with the same short film, and the film has a written transcript underneath if reading is easier than watching.
Now the quiz for this topic
Questions come from the lessons behind this practical, so nothing is asked that has not been taught.
Quiz
Sound and electricity quiz
8 questions from the lessons in this stage. No timer, and you can try again as many times as you like.