Energy Transfer: Motors, Generators, and Sources of Electricity
kit #213
Students explore the relationship between, and practical applications of, electricity and magnets. They use a battery, a magnet and a coiled wire to build a simple electric motor and then use a pre-assembled electric motor to generate electric current. In Activity 2, students read about how electricity is generated for home and commercial use. They compare the methods and equipment needed to convert energy carried by renewable and nonrenewable resources into electric current.
Six D-cell batteries needed but not supplied in the kit.
- Magnetism and electricity are related
- An electric motor uses electric current flowing through a wire coil to produce an electromagnet that interacts with another magnetic field to produce mechanical motion
- An electric generator uses mechanical motion to turn a wire coil within a magnetic field to produce electric current
Content List in Energy Transfer: Motors, Generators, and Sources of Electricity is as follows:
| Quantity | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Teacher’s Guide with MSDS |
| 28 | Student Worksheets and Guides |
| 12 | Wire leads with clips |
| 12 | Bar magnets |
| 6 | Coils of enameled wire |
| 6 | D-cell battery holders |
| 6 | Electric motors |
| 6 | LED bulbs |
| 1 | Transparency 1: Comparing Energy Resources |
| 12 | Copper arms for motor mounts |
| 6 | Motor mounts, LAB-AIDS® |
- Number of students
- 24
- Number of groups
- Maximum of 6 groups per period
To complete the two activities in this kit requires two to three ~50-minute class periods.
