Switches
Open the gap, close the gap – off and on!
Why switches?
We do not want lights on all the time. A switch lets us turn them on and off.
Inside the switch, two pieces of metal touch to close the gap.
How a switch works
When the switch is on, it closes the gap. The loop is complete. When it is off, it opens a gap. Electricity stops.
A switch is like a drawbridge: closed lets electricity cross, open stops it.
Switches everywhere
Wall switches, torch buttons and TV remotes are switches. Some you press, some you slide, some you turn.
Slide the torch switch and you close the circuit inside.
Make a switch
A paper clip and two drawing pins can make a switch. Metal is a conductor. It lets electricity flow. Plastic is an insulator. It covers wires to keep us safe.
A paper clip makes a good switch because it is a conductor.
What I learnt
- I know that a switch opens and closes a gap in a circuit.
- I can make a simple switch.
- I know that metals let electricity flow.