Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 6

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Identify the components of a simple circuit.
• Draw a labelled diagram of a simple circuit.
• Construct a simple circuit that works.
• Explain the function of each component.
• Predict what happens when a switch is opened or closed.

Lesson summary

Electrical systems are all around us! From the lights in our homes to the computers we use at school and the cell phones our parents use to communicate, electricity is essential to modern life. In South Africa, access to reliable electricity is particularly important for improving people's lives, enabling businesses to grow, and ensuring access to information and education. Understanding how electrical circuits work is the first step towards understanding this crucial technology. This week, we'll be focusing on simple circuits - the building blocks of all electrical systems.

Lesson notes

What is an Electric Circuit? An electric circuit is a complete path that allows electricity to flow. Imagine it like a circular racetrack for electricity. If the track is broken, the electricity cannot flow, and nothing will happen. For a circuit to work, it needs to be a closed loop.

Components of a Simple Electric Circuit: Battery (Cell): The power source that provides the electrical energy. Think of it as the engine of the racetrack.

Batteries have two terminals: a positive (+) and a negative (-) terminal. In a diagram, we represent a battery with short and long parallel lines. The longer line represents the positive terminal and the shorter line the negative.

Wires (Connecting Wires): These are the pathways that allow electricity to flow from the battery to the other components and back. Usually made of copper, which is a good conductor of electricity. Think of them as the track itself. In a diagram, we represent wires with straight lines.

Bulb (Lamp): This is the component that converts electrical energy into light energy. It is what we usually want to power on. Think of it as a finishing point. In a diagram, a bulb is represented by a circle with a cross inside, or a circle with a loop inside it.

Switch: This is a device that can open or close the circuit. When the switch is closed, the circuit is complete, and electricity can flow. When the switch is open, the circuit is broken, and electricity cannot flow. Think of it as a gate on the racetrack. In a diagram, an open switch looks like a line with a break, and a closed switch looks like a continuous line. Open vs.

Closed Circuits: Closed Circuit: A circuit where the path is complete, allowing electricity to flow. The bulb will light up.

Open Circuit: A circuit where the path is broken, preventing electricity from flowing. The bulb will not light up. This can be caused by an open switch, a broken wire, or a burnt-out bulb.

How Electricity Flows: Electricity flows from the negative (-) terminal of the battery, through the wires, to the bulb, and then back to the positive (+) terminal of the battery. This flow is called electric current.

Worked example

Example 1: Drawing a simple circuit diagram.

Draw the Battery: Draw a short line and a longer line parallel to it. Label the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals.

Draw the Wires: Draw a straight line extending from the positive terminal of the battery.

Draw the Bulb: Draw a circle with a cross inside connected to the wire.

Draw the Wires: Draw a straight line from the bulb.

Draw the Switch: Draw an open switch in the line.

Complete the Circuit: Draw the remaining wire connecting the switch back to the negative terminal of the battery.

Example 2: Predicting what happens when the switch is closed.

If the above circuit has an open switch, the bulb will not light up. When the switch is closed, the circuit becomes complete, and electricity can flow.

Therefore, the bulb will light up.

Example 3: What happens if a wire is disconnected?