Basic Electricity Worksheet

Beginning students often find the terminology for switches confusing, because the words open and closed sound similar to the terminology used for doors, but do not mean quite the same thing when used in reference to a switch! In order to help avoid confusion, ask the students how they may think of these terms in a way that is consistent with their meaning in the context of an electrical switch.

One analogy to use for the switch’s function that makes sense with the schematic is a drawbridge: when the bridge is down (closed), cars may cross; when the bridge is up (open), cars cannot.

This is a difficult concept for some students to master. Make sure they all understand the nature of electrical current and the importance of continuity throughout the entire circuit. Perhaps the best way for students to master this concept is to actually build working battery-switch-lamp circuits. Remind them that their “research” of these worksheet questions is not limited to book reading. It is not only valid, but preferable for them to experiment on their own, so long as the voltages are low enough that no shock hazard exists.

One analogy to use for the switch’s function that makes sense with the schematic is a drawbridge: when the bridge is down (closed), cars may cross; when the bridge is up (open), cars cannot.

Ask the students what it would mean if a closed switch actually measured having high resistance between its terminals. Knowing what the measurements of any electrical component ought to be is a very important skill for troubleshooting.