The generator you will build in this science project is very simple and does not store energy-the LEDs will only light up while you are shaking it. Note: The flashlight in Figure 2 contains some additional circuitry that lets it store electricity for later use. Using more LEDs requires more electricity, so you will investigate whether using more magnets (and thus increasing the strength of the magnetic field in your generator) allows you to light up more LEDs. LEDs are the tiny lights you see in many electronic devices. To test your generator, you will use light-emitting diodes, or LEDs for short. In this electronics science project, you will build a simple generator with a single coil of wire and a magnet, kind of like the flashlight shown above. Shaking the magnet through the coil generates electricity. (Bottom) A picture of a flashlight with a wire coil and a magnet inside. Wrapping wire into a coil lets you fit a very long length of wire into a small space. (Top) An illustration of a typical wire coil. You can read more about electromagnetism in the Science Buddies Electricity, Magnetism, & Electromagnetism Tutorial.įigure 2. Some are very large (like power plants that power entire cities), while some are very small, and can fit inside portable radios or flashlights (Figure 2). Some are very complicated and involve multiple coils and multiple magnets, while some are simple and have just one coil and one magnet. There are many different kinds of generators. Most generators involve coils of wire (Figure 2), which let you fit a long length of wire into a tiny space. This is called magnetic induction, and this principle is used in generators to generate electricity. It turns out that when you move a magnet near a conductor, the magnetic field causes (or induces) a current in the conductor. Electrical current is carried by conductors-usually metal wires that allow electricity to flow easily. Each type of magnet is surrounded by an invisible magnetic field.ĭid you know that there is actually a relationship between magnets and electricity? Electrical current flows through all of the electronic devices you use every day, from table lamps and toasters to computers and cell phones. (Right) Two tiny cylindrical magnets next to a matchstick to show their size. The magnet's poles are attracting tiny iron filings. (Left) A bar magnet with its north and south poles labeled with N and S, respectively.
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