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Phet Online Lab Conductors and Insulators1 | PDF | Insulator (Electricity) | Electrical Conductor
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Phet Online Lab Conductors and Insulators1

The document describes a lab simulation where students test various objects to determine if they are conductors or insulators. A table shows that paper clips, coins, fuses, and pencils (weakly) allowed a bulb to light in a circuit, identifying them as conductors, while dollar bills, erasers, hands, and dogs did not, labeling them as insulators. It asks whether metal or wood would generally be a better conductor, explains metal conducts due to freely moving electrons, and identifies paper and rubber gloves as insulators for safety.

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Michelle Cen
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773 views2 pages

Phet Online Lab Conductors and Insulators1

The document describes a lab simulation where students test various objects to determine if they are conductors or insulators. A table shows that paper clips, coins, fuses, and pencils (weakly) allowed a bulb to light in a circuit, identifying them as conductors, while dollar bills, erasers, hands, and dogs did not, labeling them as insulators. It asks whether metal or wood would generally be a better conductor, explains metal conducts due to freely moving electrons, and identifies paper and rubber gloves as insulators for safety.

Uploaded by

Michelle Cen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Conductors and Insulators Lab Simulation

Lab partners: ________Jessie, Michelle__________________________


Learning target: I can use the simulation to test which objects are conductors and
insulators.

1. Use the simulation Circuit Construction Kit: DC INTRO

2. Use the down arrow on the toolbar on the left side of the simulation to find
the objects to test. Create a circuit using 1 battery, wires, and 1 bulb, and 1
object. Fill in the table below, the first one is done for you.

Object Does bulb light? Yes or No Conductor or Insulator

Paper Clip Yes Conductor

Dollar bill No Insulator

Fuse Yes Conductor

Coin Yes Conductor

Eraser No Insulator

Pencil Yes (not as strong) Conductor

Hand No Insulator

Dog No Insulator

What type of material is most likely a conductor? Wood or Metal? Explain your
thinking. Use the information from your table to help you answer the question.

Metal because the electrons in a metal can move freely between atoms which can
conduct the electricity better. While the electrons in wood don’t move as freely. In
the simulation the pencil lit up the light bulb which was not as strong as the
coin(metal), additionally the pencil is not completely made of wood it contains
other substances, for example, lead(metal).
Do you think a piece of paper would be a conductor or insulator? Explain your
thinking.

I think a piece of paper would be an insulator because the paper that’s made of
wood doesn’t conduct electricity since the electrons in wood/paper don’t move as
freely making it an insulator. Unlike metals they have electrons that move freely
thus causing metals to be a conductor.

People who work with electricity wear protective gear like gloves. Do you think
they should wear gloves made of metal or rubber? Explain your thinking.

They should wear rubber gloves because metal is a conductor so the person
working with electricity will get shocked or electrocuted. Unlike rubber, it is an
insulator which can prevent the person from getting shocked from the electricity.

Look around your classroom. Try to find 3 objects that would most likely be
conductors and insulators. Fill in your response in the table below.

Conductors Insulators

Hole puncher Tissue paper

Metal sink Glass beakers

Copper wires Plastic goggles

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