Hobbies And Interests
Electromagnet
For this project you will use batteries to transform a nail into an electromagnet. You'll need thin stripped wire, a long nail, two D-size batteries, masking tape, electrical tape and several paper clips. You'll also need a knife switch, which you can buy inexpensively at most electronic or hardware stores.
Wrap the wire tightly around the nail. Tape one end of the wire to the negative end of one battery; connect the other end of the wire to the terminal on the knife switch --- make sure the switch is open while you do this. With another piece of wire, connect the positive end of the previous battery with the negative end of the next battery. Then connect the positive end of this battery with the other terminal on the knife switch. You will have a full circuit; flip the knife switch closed to watch the nail attract the paper clips.
Making Lightning
Lightning is caused by unstable charges equalizing themselves; this project mimics the effect by using household items. The objects needed to conduct this experiment include a large steel or iron pot, rubber gloves, a steel or iron fork and a plastic sheet.
Tape the sheet to the top of a table and put the rubber gloves on. Darken the room and rub the pot back and forth across the sheet. Bring the fork near the pot's rim. Before the fork touches the pot, a spark should jump across.
Lemon Electricity
Change chemical energy into electrical energy by making a voltaic battery from a lemon. You'll need a lemon, 18-gauge copper wire, a steel or zinc paper clip and a sheet of sandpaper. This project also requires the help of an adult to strip the insulation off the copper wire.
Take a 2-inch section of stripped copper wire and a 2-inch section of the paper clip and smooth the rough spots with the sandpaper. Squeeze the lemon but don't puncture the skin. Push both 2-inch sections into the lemon. Touch your tongue to the wires; you should experience a slight tingle and a metallic taste.
Friction Light
In this project you'll make light by using static electricity to create an electric field. A fluorescent lighting tube, clear plastic wrap, fake fur, wool, cotton and various other types of cloth are needed for this project.
Darken the room and hold the fluorescent tube in one hand. Rub the tube vigorously with a piece of plastic wrap. This creates a static electrical field inside the tube, which causes it to glow. Experiment by rubbing the other types of cloth on the tube and observing which ones cause the most light.