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Created 3/29/16. Updates available online.

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An investigation into Building Electric Circuits (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines.



Title An investigation into Building Electric Circuits (Inquiry Based)
Description The main learning goal of this activity is for students to be able to create a circuit in two ways -- first based on their knowledge of voltage, current, and resistance, and then again by following a diagram. However, this activity also has the goal of having students make predictions and observations about circuits. The will return to these predictions and observations a few classes later to derive Ohm's Law and the differences between parallel and series circuits. I have included the notes and lab for Ohm's Law which is used a few days later.
Subject Physics
Level High School, Middle School
Type Lab
Duration 30 minutes
Answers Included No
Language English
Keywords Circuits, Electricity
Simulation(s) Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only)

Author(s) Karen King
Contact Email kingkar@missouri.edu
School / Organization Denver School of Science and Technology
Date submitted 5/6/07
Date updated 4/28/15

Comments

How might the students be challenged if they also bought a resistor at Radio Shack? Peter Amato-von Hemert   5/4/08

The first part would be great for middle school. Trish   6/29/08

Comment on this activity

How did you use this activity or change it for your class? Answer keys are often not available because the activities are inquiry based and lead to multiple answers. Professionally constructive comments welcome.

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