Basic Electricity Worksheet

It is important to realize that electrical “conductors” and “insulators” are not the same as thermal “conductors” and “insulators.” Materials that are insulators in the electrical sense may be fair conductors of heat (certain silicone gels used as heat-transfer fluids for heat sinks, for instance). Materials that are conductors in the electrical sense may be fair insulators in the thermal sense (conductive plastics, for example).

If students have access to simple multimeters, they may perform conductivity tests on various substances with them. This is a fun and interesting classroom activity!

Although definitions are easy enough to research and repeat, it is important that students learn to cast these concepts into their own words. Asking students to give practical examples of “circuits” and “non-circuits” is one way to ensure deeper investigation of the concepts than mere term memorization.

The word “circuit,” in vernacular usage, often refers to anything electrical. Of course, this is not true in the technical sense of the term. Students will come to realize that many terms they learn and use in an electricity or electronics course are actually mis-used in common speech. The word “short” is another example: technically it refers to a specific type of circuit fault. Commonly, though, people use it to refer to any type of electrical problem.