Lesson 6. Simulated Circuits

Melissa Beemsterboer
Physics
30 minutes
High School Honors Physics
v1

Overview

In this lesson, students will use a PHeT simulation to further investigate circuits. First, they will familiarize themselves with some of the more intricate and complicated parts of circuits, namely resistivity, short circuits, and switches. They will also be asked for the first time to think about circuits in terms of a simple programming language (using if/then statements). This is simply to "whet their whistle", so to speak. Later lessons will further delve into the programming side of circuitry, ending in an assessment that asks them to actually program an arduino-type device.

Standards

Next Generation Science Standards
  • Engineering, Technology, Applications of Science
  • Physical Science
  • NGSS Crosscutting Concept
    • Systems
    • Energy
  • NGSS Practice
    • Analyzing Data
    • Constructing Explanations, Designing Solutions
    • Using Models
    • Using Mathematics
    • Conducting Investigations
Computational Thinking in STEM
  • Data Practices
    • Analyzing Data
    • Collecting Data
    • Visualizing Data
  • Modeling and Simulation Practices
    • Assessing Computational Models
    • Constructing Computational Models
  • Computational Problem Solving Practices
    • Computer Programming
    • Troubleshooting and Debugging

Credits

Unit designed by Melissa Beemsterboer a teacher at Lindblom.

Activities

  • 1. Circuit Symbols
  • 2. Short Circuits
  • 3. Switches

Student Directions and Resources


In this lesson, you will build a digital circuit and investigate it more in depth. You will learn what "short circuit" and "resistivity" mean.

1. Circuit Symbols


  1. Select Intro
  2. Get a light bulb to light up using the fewest parts possible.
  3. When you’ve got a working light bulb, click the diagram symbol in the bottom right corner (next to the picture of the battery).

 

 

 

 

 


Question 1.1

Draw the circuit you built here using symbols.

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below


Question 1.2

Why might a scientist want to use symbols when drawing their circuit instead of drawing the actual light bulb, battery, and wires?



Question 1.3

Do you think it is important for all scientists to agree on the symbols used for different parts of the circuit?

2. Short Circuits


  1. Select Lab
  2. Build a circuit with wires, and a battery (no resistor/light bulb).
  3. When you've seen what happens, click + "Wire resistivity" and increase the resistivity.

 

 

 

 

 


Question 2.1

Write a definition of resistivity based on what you discovered in your investigation.



Question 2.2

What happens to a circuit (with low resistivity wires) when there is no resistor? Why?

3. Switches


  1. Select Intro
  2. Build a circuit with wires, a battery, a resistor, and at least one switch.
  3. Investigate what opening and closing the switch does.
  4. When you have a handle on the function of a switch, try to create a more complicated circuit that allows certain switches to turn off certain light bulbs while leaving others on. If you are successful, draw it where prompted below.

 

 

 

 

 


Question 3.1

What does a switch do?



Question 3.2

Here is a basic formula for some code that a programmer might have written when designing this circuits simulation.

If (condition1) then (outcome one)

If (condition2) then (outcome two)

Fill in the parenthesis with your predictions of code for opening and closing a switch (and the appropriate outcomes).

 



Question 3.3

Were you able to create a more complicated circuit that allows certain switches to turn off certain light bulbs while leaving others on? If so, draw it here.

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below