Investigation To investigate the conductivity of different materials

Investigation To investigate the conductivity of different materials Conductor? or Insulator? Mia Webster

Your Challenge… George the Electrician needs your help to fix the Christmas tree lights. He does not have wire at home to fix his lights. Your task is to investigate what materials he can use to fix the Christmas tree lights.

Learning Objectives • Investigate to discover what materials conduct an electric current, and what materials insulate an electric current. • Classify and list the conductors and insulators. • Report your findings back to George (making conclusions)

Here is a list of items George has at home Conductor Start by making a prediction on each item. or Insulator? Material Nails Paper Clips Straw Foil Plastic Spoon Metal Spool Rubber Paddle stick Prediction What happened? Conductor or Insulator

Conductor or Insulator? • Construct a simple circuit. • Test each material to check your prediction. • In table, record your observations and note if the material is a conductor or insulator.

Conductor What did you observe? Is the material a conductor or insulator? or Insulator? Material Nails Paper Clips Straw Foil Plastic Spoon Metal Spool Rubber Paddle stick Prediction What happened? Conductor or Insulator

Report to George • Classify and list the conductors and insulators in a table. • Give other examples of conductors and insulators. • Share list and discuss ‘conclusion’ with class. Which material should George use to fix his lights and why?