🔧 Interactive Circuit Playground
Build your own circuit! Drag and drop components to create a working circuit. Adjust the voltage and resistance to see how current and power change!
Components
Controls
📊 Measurements
🔋 What is Electricity?
Electricity is the flow of tiny particles called electrons. These electrons move through wires and other materials to power our lights, computers, phones, and so much more! Think of electricity like water flowing through a pipe - but instead of water, we have electrons flowing through wires.
Voltage (V) - The Push!
Voltage is the "electrical pressure" that pushes electrons through a circuit. It's measured in volts (V).
💡 Think of it Like This:
Imagine a water slide at a playground. The higher the slide, the faster the water flows down. Voltage is like the height of the slide - more voltage means more "push" to move electrons!
📝 Real-World Examples:
- A small AAA battery has 1.5 volts
- Your phone charger uses 5 volts
- A car battery has 12 volts
- Wall outlets in your home have 120 volts (in the US)
Current (I) - The Flow!
Current is the amount of electricity (electrons) flowing through a circuit. It's measured in amperes or amps (A).
💡 Think of it Like This:
If electricity is like water in a pipe, then current is how much water is flowing through the pipe. A tiny trickle is low current, while a rushing stream is high current!
📝 Real-World Examples:
- A small LED light uses about 0.02 amps (20 milliamps)
- Your phone charger provides about 1-2 amps
- A light bulb uses about 0.5-1 amp
- A microwave oven uses about 10 amps
Resistance (R) - The Opposition!
Resistance is what slows down or opposes the flow of electricity. It's measured in ohms (Ω).
💡 Think of it Like This:
Imagine trying to drink a thick milkshake through a straw. The thicker the shake, the harder it is to drink! Resistance is like that thickness - it makes it harder for electrons to flow through.
📝 Materials and Resistance:
- Low Resistance (Good Conductors): Copper wires, silver, gold - electricity flows easily!
- High Resistance (Insulators): Rubber, plastic, wood, glass - electricity can't flow through!
- Medium Resistance: Light bulb filaments, heating elements - they resist flow and create heat/light!
🧮 Ohm's Law:
Voltage = Current × Resistance
V = I × R
This famous formula shows how voltage, current, and resistance are related!
Power (P) - How Fast Energy is Used!
Power is how fast electrical energy is being used or converted. It's measured in watts (W).
💡 Think of it Like This:
Think about running vs. walking. Running uses more energy per minute than walking. Power is how quickly you're using energy - a powerful device uses energy faster!
📝 Real-World Examples:
- A small LED bulb: 5-10 watts
- Your laptop: 50-100 watts
- A regular light bulb: 60 watts
- A microwave oven: 1000 watts (1 kilowatt)
- An electric car motor: 50,000+ watts!
🧮 Power Formula:
Power = Voltage × Current
P = V × I
This tells us how much power a device uses!
Energy (E) - The Total Work Done!
Electrical Energy is the total amount of work electricity can do. It's measured in joules (J) or kilowatt-hours (kWh) for larger amounts.
💡 Think of it Like This:
Energy is like fuel in a gas tank. Power tells you how fast you're using the fuel, but energy tells you how much total fuel you have or have used!
📝 Understanding Energy Usage:
- Running a 60-watt light bulb for 1 hour uses 60 watt-hours of energy
- Your electric bill measures energy in kilowatt-hours (kWh)
- 1 kWh = running a 1000-watt device for 1 hour
- An average home uses about 30 kWh per day
🧮 Energy Formula:
Energy = Power × Time
E = P × t
This shows how energy depends on both power and how long you use it!
🔌 How Do Circuits Work?
A circuit is a complete path that electricity can flow through. Think of it like a race track - the electrons need a complete loop to keep moving!
Parts of a Simple Circuit:
- 🔋 Power Source (Battery): Provides the voltage to push electrons
- 🔌 Wires: The path electrons flow through (low resistance)
- 💡 Load (Light bulb, motor, etc.): Uses the electrical energy to do work
- 🔘 Switch: Opens or closes the circuit to turn devices on/off
Two Types of Circuits:
⭕ Series Circuit
Components connected in a single line, one after another. If one breaks, the whole circuit stops working (like old Christmas lights!).
⚡ Parallel Circuit
Components connected on separate branches. If one breaks, the others keep working (like lights in your house!).
📚 Quick Summary
⚡ Voltage (V)
The electrical "push" - measured in volts
🌊 Current (I)
The flow of electrons - measured in amps
🚧 Resistance (R)
Opposition to flow - measured in ohms
💪 Power (P)
How fast energy is used - measured in watts
⚡ Energy (E)
Total work done - measured in joules or kWh
🔌 Circuits
Complete paths for electricity to flow through
🎨 Try These Activities!
1. Make a Simple Circuit
With adult help, use a battery, wires, and a small LED to create your first circuit!
2. Energy Detective
Look at appliances in your home and find the wattage labels. Calculate how much energy they use!
3. Conductor Test
Test different materials (with adult supervision) to see which conduct electricity and which don't!