Project Blog- Electricity project (4/11-4/15)

About The Project:

This week we were assigned an electricity project. We had to make an electrical invention. Here are some of the things that we had to include in our inventions:

1. An invention that has a circuit with a switch in it.

2. A title and list of materials used - both the conductors and insulators

3. A drawing of your invention.

4. A schematic diagram of your invention

5. A description of how your invention works.

• What materials carry the current?
• Is your circuit a series or parallel circuit?
• How does the current flow?
• How brightly does the light (if used) shine?
• How is the current switched on and off?

For my invention, I decided to make something that has to do with a map. I was thinking about it for a few days and then I decided that it would be a map of the USA. You would have to figure out the 3 states on the map (with wires) that I have been to. There are 10 different states (options) that have wires. If you connect point A to one of the correct state wires (that I have been to), then you would complete the parallel circuit.

Since we had to make a list of the different materials that I used, here it is:

Conductors:

• wires
• screws
• wire connectors
• a battery
• battery holder

Insulators:

• Paper
• Map
• Tape
• Box

Above you can see a schematic diagram of my invention.

Summary:

During this project, I learned that screws conduct electricity so those can be substituted for the wires. They are also much more organized! I also learned that it does not matter how long the wires are. They do not change anything. It is just a longer pathway for the electricity to go through. It does not even make a time difference. 

backwards-looking- How much did you know about the subject before we started?

Before we started learning about electricity I knew a little bit about electricity because my brother and I had a snap circuits jr kit and we would learn a little bit from that. At school last year we also learned a little bit about electricity like the parts, and how to put them together, but I never really knew how the electricity flows and I always wanted to find out!

Inward- Looking- How do you feel about this piece of work? What parts of it do you particularly like? Dislike? Why? What did/do you enjoy about this piece or work?

I feel pretty good about this piece of work. I really like how we used screws instead of the wires because when we used the wires, it was pretty unorganized and the wires also kept falling off. I think we could add a buzzer that would make a sound when you connect the incorrect states.  I enjoyed doing this piece of work because it was fun creating the circuits and making a game out of the way electricity works.

Outward-Looking- Did you do your work the way other people did theirs? In what ways did you do it differently? In what ways was your work or process similar?

My work looked different compared to everybody else's because mine was the only one that included a map. Everybody did their work differently because everyone had different ideas of what to make (game, science experiment, testing conductors, and insulators, etc.), but everybody's piece was also similar in the way we used electricity (wires, wire holders, battery, etc.)

Forward-Looking- What would you change if you had a chance to do this piece over again?

As I mentioned earlier, if I could I would add a buzzer or light of the incorrect options. Maybe I would also add some other states and a few hints for the correct options. Other than that, I do not think I would change anything about my project.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I really enjoyed working on this project at home and at school. You could do a project like this too! I thought it was really fun working with the wires and battery thinking of ideas on what I could make. I think I am going to keep improving my invention.