As technology becomes increasingly advanced, parents have had to learn how to operate their various devices with the help of their kids. Children are incredibly gifted when it comes to working with electronics. They seem to have an intuitive sense of how things are supposed to work, and they use this ability to operate technology much more effortlessly than some highly educated adults. Unfortunately, many kids are never given the opportunity to learn more about electricity, circuits and other aspects of electronics. Thankfully, there are some outstanding experiments that can assist parents and teachers in helping kids and electronics come together for awesome learning experiences.
The Magical Fluorescent Light Bulb Experiment
This experiment is great because it is simple and it teaches kids about the nature of electrical capacitance. All that is needed is a self-exciting fluorescent light bulb and access to power lines. When standing beneath the power lines, the bulb will illuminate. This is because energy from the lines is stored in the air and in the earth through a process known as capacitance.
Turn a Lemon Into a Battery
Electronic devices require power sources. This experiment allows kids to build a simple power source out of a common fruit. To perform this experiment, a child will need to insert one copper and one zinc nail into a lemon. Then, he or she should take two six-inch lengths of insulated copper wiring and strip the ends of the insulation. Finally, the wire ends should be wrapped around the nails. When the other ends of the wires are touched to the tongue, a harmless electric buzz will be generated. This experiment illustrates the basic concepts of battery technology.
Make a Balloon Sticky With no Adhesive
This classic experiment involves a balloon and a piece of wool. When the balloon has been inflated, a child can rub it with the piece of wool. During exceptionally dry parts of the year, the child can use his or her hair instead. Then, when the balloon is placed on a wall or ceiling, it will stick there for a remarkable amount of time in spite of gravity. This is because the rubbing of the balloon removes its electrons, giving it a positive charge that attracts it to the molecules present on the wall or ceiling. This experiment is terrific because it helps children understand positive and negative polarity and learn how it affects electricity and magnetism.
These experiments for kids and electronics are quite basic, but they are highly educational. For those children who are intrigued by technology, they can open up the mind to greater possibilities. Most importantly, though, these experiments encourage kids to learn more about science and technology in a fun way that engages their developing brains.