Create an Electrical Circuit in 10 Easy Steps!
Introduction: Create an Electrical Circuit in 10 Easy Steps!
This instructable will help you make a simple circuit with a switch. A paper clip will be used as a switch to turn the bulb on/off. The completed circuit can be seen in the video above. These are the items you will be needing:
1. bulb
2. bulb holder
3. nine-volt battery
4. 8″ wire
5. 2 x 4″ wires
6. paper fasteners
7. 713
paper clip
8. electrical tape
9. wire strippers
10. cardboard
11. screwdriver
Step 1:
Strip both ends of the 8″ wire using the wire stripper, making sure there is enough open copper wire to wrap around the battery terminals.
Step 2:
Wrap the stripped end of the 8″ wire around the positive (+) terminal end of the nine-volt battery. Secure the wire connection with a piece of electrical tape.
Step 3:
Install the bulb onto the bulb holder. This step can be done after the 9th step as well to make it easier to handle.
Step 4:
Loosen a screw on the bulb holder. Take the other end of the stripped 8″ wire and wrap it around the loosened screw of the bulb holder, then tighten the screw.
Step 5:
Cut the cardboard into a square which will be used for the switch. The cardboard can measure 2″ x 2″ or any other size as long as the paper clip fits on it and the cardboard does not take too much space.
Step 6:
Push the paper fastener through the cardboard; place the other paper fastener about an inch and a half away from the first one and push it through the cardboard as well.
Step 7:
Wrap one end of the 4" wire around the negative (–) terminal of the battery and secure it with electrical tape and wrap the other end around one of the two paper fasteners on the cardboard.
Step 8:
Loosen the other screw on the bulb holder and wrap the 4″ wire around it and tighten the screw. Wrap the other end of said wire around the other paper fastener.
Step 9:
Secure one end of the paper clip to one of the paper fasteners—this will create an open circuit and the bulb will not light up yet; to make the bulb light up, attach the other end of the paper clip to the second paper fastener.
Step 10:
Connecting the other end of the paper clip to the other paper fastener closes the circuit thus allowing electricity to pass through and illuminate the bulb. 713