Starter quiz
- These objects are made of different materials. Which object has a label for the incorrect material?
- plastic
- wood
- glass ✓
- metal
- Which of these are properties of materials?
- wood
- flexible ✓
- strong ✓
- metal
- waterproof ✓
-
- What type of switch is this?
- toggle
- slide
- push button ✓
-
- A ______ is a device which has to be connected to a circuit in a particular direction, with its positive connector connected closest to the positive end of the cell.
- 'buzzer' ✓
- Which of these are used to control circuits?
- buzzers
- switches ✓
- bulbs
- wires
-
- How do switches break the loop in a circuit?
- By creating a barrier which reflects electricity.
- By creating a barrier which absorbs electricity.
- By creating a space where electricity cannot flow. ✓
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Exit quiz
- An electrical ______ is a material that allows electricity to pass through it easily.
- 'conductor' ✓
- An electrical ______ is a material that does not allow electricity to pass through it easily.
- 'insulator' ✓
- If you include an electrical insulator in a circuit with a motor, what would the motor do?
- turn
- turn the wrong way
- not turn ✓
- cause an electric shock
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- Which of these objects are made of the best material for conducting electricity?
- rubber bands
- wooden blocks
- fabric cloth
- a metal spoon ✓
- Are the minerals in water electrical conductors or electrical insulators?
- electrical conductors ✓
- electrical insulators
-
- Which of these materials are electrical insulators?
- metal
- rubber ✓
- water
- plastic ✓
-
Worksheet
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Presentation
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- An electrical conductor is a material that allows electricity to pass through it easily.
- An electrical insulator is a material that does not allow electricity to pass through it easily.
- Metals are the best materials for conducting electricity.
- There are minerals that can conduct electricity when dissolved in water.
- Examples of electrical insulators are plastic, rubber, wood, glass and air.
Common misconception
Only metals are electrical conductors. All non-metals are electrical insulators. Water is an electrical conductor.
Children will test materials for conductivity, but the teaching slides will note that some non-metals are electrical conductors and that it is the dissolved minerals in water that can conduct electricity, not the water itself.
Keywords
Material - A material is what objects are made from such as wood, metal or plastic.
Electrical conductor - An electrical conductor is a material that allows electricity to pass through it easily.
Minerals - A mineral is a naturally occurring solid, e.g. a salt.
Electrical insulator - An electrical insulator is a material that does not allow electricity to pass through it easily.
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