S3 - answers to HW3 on Resistance February 17, 2008
Posted by mrmackenzie in : Using Electricity , add a commentI’ve attached the answers to HW3 on resistance as a pdf file. Click on the link below to view the answers.
S3 traffic lighting results February 10, 2008
Posted by mrmackenzie in : Using Electricity , add a commentHere are the results of your traffic light survey on the Using Electricity unit. I have not split the results down into class sets so you will see all 40 responses in these bar charts. Click on each of the small pictures to see the chart at its full size.
I’m going to split these results up by class so we can look at the results for each class a bit closer to see what we need to look at again.
S3 - Watt do you know about power? January 17, 2008
Posted by mrmackenzie in : Using Electricity , add a commentWe have been looking at electrical power this week. The man I spoke about in class today is James Watt - click on his name to get the full wikipedia article that I was unable to display in class. Here is a short biography by the BBC. I also spoke about how he calculated the power output of working horses and compared them to his steam machines. You can read more about his horsepower experiments here.
I’d say he’s a pretty famous scientist - not many people get their name on every lightbulb in the country! 
S3 - answers to HW2.2 December 16, 2007
Posted by mrmackenzie in : Using Electricity , add a commentThe solutions to HW 2.2 on electricity from the wall socket are attached as a pdf file.
Answers to HW2.2
S3 - Alternative Summary Notes November 7, 2006
Posted by mrmackenzie in : Using Electricity , add a commentI’ve uploaded a set of summary notes that you might find useful as you prepare for the end of unit tests on Using Electricity. Download the pdf file using the link below.
S3 - making an electric motor October 31, 2006
Posted by mrmackenzie in : Using Electricity , add a commentI was going to show you all this youtube video on how to make your own electric motor home but the school was closed due to bad weather. I also found this diagram showing the parts of a dc motor.
S3 - movement from electricity October 30, 2006
Posted by mrmackenzie in : Using Electricity , 1 comment so farLast week we looked at using electricity to get things moving. We looked at examples of an electric bell and the movement of a current-carrying bar of copper in a magnetic field. We’ll be taking an electric motor apart this week to see how it works but in the meantime, here is a link to an animation of an electric buzzer (same idea as the electric bell).
If you want to read someone else’s explanation of how an electric motor works, you could go here or here. There are animations of a dc electric motor here and here (this is the example I used in class).
almost there! October 3, 2006
Posted by mrmackenzie in : Using Electricity , add a commentWe have almost completed the Using Electricity unit. We will start looking at magnetism tomorrow as an introduction to movement from electricity. The closer we get to the end of a unit, the nearer we are to test time.
You might want to download a copy of this electricity revision booklet to help you check how well you understand the topics we have covered. It also contains some useful revision questions in the homework section.
ring circuits October 1, 2006
Posted by mrmackenzie in : Using Electricity , add a commentI found a decent image of a ring ciruit on wikipedia. The page about ring circuits is not bad but those of you with a liking for diy might prefer the practical advice on ring circuits available from homebase.
series or parallel? September 24, 2006
Posted by mrmackenzie in : Using Electricity , 2commentsWe’ve been looking at the different properties of series and parallel circuits over the past week or so. Since there are only 91 days left until Christmas, I thought I would ask you all for some shopping advice.
I need a new set of Christmas tree lights. Should I be in the market for a set of lights built in series or parallel? Don’t forget to tell me what information influenced your choice!
If you’re not sure why the series/parallel decision would make a difference to tree lights, you might want to check this site. There’s also some information on series and parallel circuits here.
