Unit 16
Unit 16
Option 1
Purpose: To engage pupils and evaluate their prior knowledge about the uses of electricity
Resource: Textbook
1. Have pupils turn to Textbook p. 49 and look at the picture. Give pupils some time to read the paragraph at
the bottom of the page.
2. Ask pupils the questions that follow. Discuss the answers.
3. Go through the 'Let's find out' questions.
Option 2
Purpose: To engage pupils and evaluate their prior knowledge about the uses of electricity
Resource: Textbook
1. Ask:
• What will happen if someone accidentally switches off the electricity mains in your house? (Electrical
appliances such as the lamp, fan, air-conditioner, television set and oven will not be able to work. Accept
other possible answers.)
• How will this affect your daily activities? (/ will be unable to see in the dark, unable to make the room
cooler, unable to watch television programmes and unable to cook. Accept other possible answers.)
2. Have pupils turn to Textbook p. 49.
3. Go through the 'Let's find out' questions.
1. Ask pupils the key inquiry question for Section 16.1 on Textbook p. 50. Discuss possible answers.
2. Have pupils work in groups of four and discuss how electricity helps them in their school. (Lights enable us
to see the words written on the board. Fans make the classroom cooler. Electric bells signal the end of the
school day. Accept other possible answers.)
1. Recall that electrical appliances work when electric currents flow through electric circuits in the appliances.
2. Have pupils turn to Textbook p. 50. Explain that electrical appliances use electricity to produce light, sound,
heating effect and magnetic effect.
3. Tell pupils that lamps and lights use electricity to produce light and that a telephone uses electricity to
produce sound. Ask:
• Can you name an electrical appliance that produces both light and sound? (A television set. Accept other
possible answers.)
4. Have pupils look at the That's Cool' feature on Textbook p. 50. Elaborate that lasers produce light of one
specific colour only.
5. Have pupils think about the 'Explore' question on Textbook p. 50. Discuss possible answers. (The advantage
of using candles and torches is that they are cheaper sources of electricity. The disadvantages of using
candles and torches are that they do not provide as much light as electrical lights and they can only provide
light for a shorter period of time. Accept other possible answers.)
6. Have pupils read the text on Textbook p. 51. Tell pupils that water heaters and hairdryers use electricity to
produce heat.
7. Have pupils think about the 'Explore' question on Textbook p. 51. Discuss possible answers. (Heat is used to
kill any microorganisms that may cause the food to go bad.)
8. Explain to pupils that electricity produces a magnetic effect. Also explain that the needle in a compass is a
magnet and can be used to show the magnetic effect of an electric current.
Purpose: To find out how the use of electricity makes our lives more convenient
1. Ask pupils the key inquiry question for Section 16.1 again. (Electricity produces light, sound, heating effect
and magnetic effect.')
Option 1
Purpose: To engage pupils and explain that the magnetic forces exerted by magnets can be permanent or
temporary
Resources: A magnet, a steel paper clip
1.Hold the magnet above the steel paperclip. Have pupils observe that the steel paperclip is attracted to the
magnet. Ask:
• Why is the steel paper clip attracted to the magnet? (The magnet exerts a magnetic force of attraction
on the steel paper clip.)
• Is this effect permanent? (Yes.)
• Can the magnetic effect of this magnet be turned 'on' and 'off? (No.)
2. Tell pupils that permanent magnets always exert a magnetic force and temporary magnets exert a
magnetic force for a short time only.
Option 2
Purpose: To engage pupils and explain that the magnetic forces exerted by magnets can be permanent
or temporary
1. Ask:
• Why are magnets hidden inside a rubber tube around the doors of refrigerators? (The magnets enable the
doors of refrigerators to close tightly)
• Is the magnetic force permanent? (Yes.)
• Can the magnetic effect of these magnets be turned 'on' and 'off? (No.)
2. Tell pupils that permanent magnets always exert a magnetic force and temporary magnets exert a
magnetic force for a short time only.
1. Ask pupils the key inquiry question for Section 16.2 on Textbook p. 52. Discuss possible answers.
2. Tell pupils that temporary magnets are useful because their magnetic effects can be turned 'on' and 'off.
Purposes: To explain how an electromagnet is made and the factors that affect the strength of an
electromagnet
Resources: Textbook, Activity Book, a long wire (about 1 m), an iron nail, some sticky tape, one battery
(AA size), one steel paper clip, three batteries (D size), a battery holder and a stapler with staples
per pair
1. Recall that magnetic objects exert a magnetic force on other objects and that electrical conductors allow an
electric current to flow through them easily.
2. Have pupils turn to Textbook p. 52. Explain that electromagnets are magnets made using electricity and
use the diagram to show how an electromagnet can be made. Ask:
• Will the electromagnet be able to attract a small piece of paper? (No. Paper is not a magnetic material.)
• What happens if the switch in the circuit is opened? (There will be no current flow and the safety pin will
not be attracted to the iron no/7.)
3. Have pupils carry out the 'Explore' activity on Textbook p. 52. Discuss possible answers. (Stroke the iron nail
with one pole of the magnet, in one direction and using the same pole. Repeat this action a few times.)
4. Have pupils read the text on Textbook p. 53. Explain that the strength of an electromagnet depends on the
number of turns of the coil of wire, the presence of a magnetic material in the coil of wire and the number of
batteries used.
5. Have pupils look at the 'We Care' feature on Textbook p. 53. Encourage pupils to use rechargeable batteries
instead of disposable batteries to reduce the waste generated.
6. Have pupils think about the 'Explore' question on Textbook p. 54. Discuss possible answers. (It has been
found that some animals such as dolphins, turtles, bees and pigeons have crystals of magnetite in their
bodies. These crystals enable the animals to tell directions by sensing the Earth's magnetic field.)
7. Have pupils turn to Activity 16.1 on Activity Book p. 36.
8. Co through the procedures with pupils.
9. Have pupils complete Activity 16.1 on Activity Book pp. 36—38.
10. Discuss the answers to Activity 16.1.
1. Have pupils turn to Textbook, p. 55. Explain that the magnetic crane, the electric motor and the electric bell
make use of electromagnets to work.
2. Have pupils look at the That's Cool1 feature on Textbook p. 55. Elaborate that the electric telegraph works
using an electromagnet. When an electric current passes through the coil of wire, a magnetic field is set up
and this causes an iron bar to move and strike a bell.
1. Ask pupils the key inquiry question for Section 16.2 again. (An electromagnet is a temporary magnet made
using electricity. It is made by coiling a wire around a magnetic material such as iron or steel and passing an
electric current through it.)
2. Go through the 'Quick Check' question on Textbook p. 54. (Electromagnet B is stronger. For the same
number of turns of wire, more current flows through the circuit for Electromagnet B.)
3. Summarise the unit by going through the concept map in 'At a glance' on Textbook p. 56. Ensure that pupils
have understood the unit by going through the 'Self-check' activity on Textbook p. 56.
What are the effects of electricity in our lives? •* -The number of turns in the coil
How can we make magnets using electricity? -* of wire, presence of a magnetic
What can affect the strength of magnets made using electricity? material in the coil of wire and
number of batteries affect the
Electricity 49
strength of magnets made
using electricity.
Electrical appliances that make use of electricity to produce sound include telephones, bells, radios and
loudspeakers. These devices change electric signals into sound waves.
Electrical appliances that make use of electricity to produce magnetic effects include loudspeakers and
electric fans. These appliances contain electromagnets which are made of a wire coiled around a magnetic
material such as iron or steel. When an electric current passes through the wire, a magnetic field is set up
and the magnetic material can act as a magnet to attract other objects.
Heating effect
Electricity has heating effect in appliances such as water Expkftre Heat is used to kill any
heaters and hairdryers. microorganisms that may cause
Analyse
Heat is also used to cook food the food to go bad.
at very high temperatures
in the food canning process.
Why do you think this is
- A water heater provides necessary?
hot water for our use.
Magnetic effect
Electricity has magnetic effect. We can use a compass to
show the magnetic effect of an electric current.
compass needle
A wire is placed deflected When an electric current
near a compass ; flows through the wire,
needle. the compass needle
deflects because of the
magnetic effect.
coil of wire
Compass needle
deflects when the
connected to an electric cell circuit is closed.
When a soft iron core is placed inside the coil of wire, the magnetic force is increased. This is because
particles in the iron core align together in the same direction in the presence of a magnetic field produced
by the coil of wire and this greatly increases the strength of the electromagnet.
Another way to increase the strength of an electromagnet is to increase the amount of electric current
flowing through the coil of wire. This can be done by increasing the number of batteries or using thicker
wires.
20 turns 50 turns
•t Rechargeable batteries
in a battery charger
Number of batteries
It has been found that some
animals such as dolphins, turtles,
Explfre When we increase the number of batteries used in the
circuit, more electric current flows through the circuit and
Analyse, Communicate
bees and pigeons have crystals Are magnets found in living
the strength of the electromagnet increases.
of magnetite which are magnetic things? Discuss.
electromagnet A electromagnet B
16.10 Unit 16 > 2010 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Background information for teachers
Magnetic cranes are used to lift pieces of scrap metals. The electromagnets in magnetic cranes are very
strong and therefore they can move large objects.
An electric motor also makes use of electromagnets, which are found on the wheel of the motor. The outer
region of the wheel is made of permanent magnets. The wheel of the motor turns as the electromagnets
attract and repel the permanent magnets.
When an electric current flows through the electromagnet of an electric bell, the hammer is attracted to the
electromagnet and strikes the bell. As this happens, the hammer breaks contact with the circuit and stops
the flow of the electric current. Then a spring pulls the hammer back to make contact with the circuit. As an
electric current starts to flow again, the hammer strikes the bell and the process repeats itself.
Electric fan
Presence of
magnetic
material in the
coil of wire
Number of
batteries used
1. magnetic Self-check
2. electromagnet
1. Electricity is used to produce light, sound, heating effect and .effect.
3. wire, magnetic
2. An is a magnet made using the electricity.
3. The factors affecting the strength of an electromagnet are the number of turns
Activity 16.1 Factors affecting the strength of Pupils should have been taught
• An electromagnet is a magnet
an electromagnet made using electricity.
Process skills
• An electromagnet attracts
Observe : how the iron nail becomes an electromagnet
magnetic materials.
Investigate : the factors that affect the strength of an electromagnet
• The factors that affect the
strength of an electromagnet
Aim: To construct an electromagnet and investigate the factors that affect
are the number of turns of
its strength the coil of wire, the presence
of a magnetic material in the
Materials: A long wire (about 1 m), an iron nail, some sticky tape, one battery coil of wire and the number of
(AA size), one steel paper clip, three batteries (D size), a battery holder,
a stapler with staples
batteries used.
Guide pupils to observe that 7. Make the following changes to the circuit to find out how many staples the
for the same number of turns electromagnet can attract with each change.
of wire around the nail, when (a] Add one more battery to the battery holder.
the number of batteries is
increased, the number of (b] Increase the number of turns of wire around the iron nail to 50 turns.
staples attracted also increases.
Guide pupils to observe that for 'Results^)
the same number of batteries
used, when there are more 1. Record your results in the table below.
(Answers vary.]
turns of wire around the nail,
Number of turns of wire Number of staples
the number of staples attracted Number of batteries
around the nail attracted
also increases.
2 20
3 20
2 50
Electricity 37
38 Unit 16