Series and Parallel Circuit Lab

items needed

Aluminum Foil, small Christmas tree lights cut off a string of small Christmas tree lights with end of wire striped, 6 to 9 volt battery pack or power source, alligator clip wires, tape, scissors (Note if you do not have the alligator clips on the wire you can make a connection by wraping the bare wire in the foil.

Lights for this experiment

Battery pack - the pack can lack the aligator clips. If you donot have them, wrap the foil around the bare wire. you can find the parts to make this at Radio Shack - You moight have to let them know in advance to have enought battery packs to do this with a class. Do not use a 9 volt battery. they go dead to fast in this experiment to be of value to you

Notes Parallel and Series Circuit. One the student have cut out the foil pattern. they should connect the foil to the wire on the bulb by pushing the foil around the wire. Hook up the battery. Then disconnect a bulb . The other bulbs in the parallel circuit will stay on as there is another pathway for the electricity to flow. In the series circuit the lights will go out as there is only one way for the electricity to flow through the circuit.

Series Circuit Picture

Parallel Circuit Picture

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