TEEMSS 2
|| home ||| units ||||| help
All Units>Unit 2 - Electricity>Investigation 2 - Electric circuits>Trial 2

Trial 2 - A different way of connecting bulbs in a circuit

  1. Two different circuits (labeled A and B) with two lights each are shown below. Describe some differences in the two circuits. Be prepared to share your findings with the class.

    ***Missing Images***


  2. When bulbs are attached all on one loop of wire it is called a "series" circuit. Circuit A is an example of a series circuit. When bulbs are connected on separate loops of wire it is called a "parallel circuit." Circuit B is an example of a parallel circuit. Which circuit is like the one you have been using? Why?


  3. As a class, you are going to compare series circuits with parallel circuits. Ask your teacher which type of circuit your team should build and mark the circuit type you are building below.

    Our team is building a series circuit.

    Our team is building a parallel circuit.


  4. Build your series or parallel circuit as shown in the pictures below. Be prepared to explain why you built your circuit the way you did.

    ***Missing Image***

  5. Get together with another team that is building a different type of circuit. Look at the brightness of the light bulbs in a series circuit and in a parallel circuit. Are the bulbs in each circuit the same brightness? If not, which circuit has brighter bulbs? Be prepared to share your results with the class.



Copyright 2005 The Concord Consortium, All rights reserved.