Energy Transfer: Motors, Generators and Sources of Electricity

Kit No. 213

SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS AND PROCESSES

• 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

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.