Elenco Snaptricity reg User Manual

Copyright © 2011 by ELENCO®All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced 753303
by any means; electronic, photocopying, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher.

REV-A Revised 2011

Patent #‘s: 7,144,255, 7,273,377, & other patents pending

-1-

1. Most circuit problems are due to incorrect assembly, always
double-check that y our circuit exactl y matches the drawing f or it.

2. Be sure that parts with positive/negative markings are positioned
as per the drawing.

3. Be sure that all connections are securely snapped.

4. Try replacing the batteries.

5. If the motor spins but does not balance the fan, chec k that there
is a black plastic piece with three prongs on the motor shaft. In
case it is damaged or lost, a spare is included with your kit. Pry
the broken one off with a screwdriver and push the spare one on
the shaft.

ELENCO®is not responsible for parts damaged due to incorrect wiring.

Basic T roubleshooting

Note: If you suspect you have damaged parts, you can follow the

Advanced Troubleshooting procedure on page 8 to determine which
ones need replacing.

Batteries:

Basic T roubleshooting 1
Parts List 2
How to Use It 3
About Y our Snaptricity

®

Parts 4

DO’s and DON’Ts of Building Circuits 7

Advanced T roubleshooting 8
Project Listings 9
Projects 1 - 79 10 - 88
Other Snap Circuits

®

Projects 90

WARNING: SHOCK HAZARD - Never

connect your Snaptricity®set to the
electrical outlets in your home in any wa y!

Table of Contents For the best learning experience, do the projects in order.

WARNING: Always check

your wiring before turning on
a circuit. Never leave a
circuit unattended while the
batteries are installed. Never
connect additional batteries
or any other power sources
to your circuits. Discard any
cracked or broken parts.

W ARNING FOR ALL PARTS WITH A SYMBOL - Moving parts. Do not touch the

motor or fan during operation. Do not lean over the motor. Do not launch the fan at
people, animals, or objects. Eye protection is recommended.

!

!

!

WARNING: CHOKING
HAZARD - Small parts. Not

for children under 3 years.

!

Conforms

to ASTM

F963

!

• Use only 1.5V AA type, alkaline
batteries (recommended, not
included).

• Insert batteries with correct
polarity.

•

Non-rechargeable batteries
should not be recharged.
Rechargeable batteries should
only be charged under adult
supervision, and should not be
recharged while in the product.

• Do not mix alkaline, standard
(carbon-zinc), or rechargeable
(nickel-cadmium) batteries.

• Do not mix old and new
batteries.

• Remove batteries when they are
used up.

• Do not short circuit the battery
terminals.

• Never throw batteries in a fire or
attempt to open its outer casing.

• Batteries are harmful if
swallowed, so keep away from
small children.

WARNING:

This product contains a small magnet. Sw allowed magnets can stic k
together across intestines causing serious infections and death.
Seek immediate medical attention if magnet is swallow ed or inhaled.

!

Qty. ID Name Symbol Part # Qty. ID Name Symbol Part #

r 1

Base Grid
(11.0” x 7.7”)

6SCBG

r 1

Motor 6SCM1

r 3

1-Snap Wire 6SC01

r 1

Fan Blade 6SCM1F

r 6

2-Snap Wire 6SC02

r 1

String 6SCM1S

r 3

3-Snap Wire 6SC03

r 1

Spare Motor Top 6SCM1T

r 1

4-Snap Wire 6SC04

r 1

Electromagnet 6SCM3

r 1

5-Snap Wire 6SC05

r 1

Iron Core Rod
(46mm)

6SCM3C

r 1

6-Snap Wire 6SC06

r 1

Bag of Paper Clips 6SCM3P

r 1

Battery Holder -

uses

3 1.5V type AA (not included)

6SCB3

r 1

Thin Rod MWK01P5

r 1

Compass 6SCCOM

r 1

Grommet 662510

r 1

Copper Electrode 6SCEC

r 1

Meter 6SCM5

r 1

Zinc Electrode 6SCEZ

r 1

Magnet 6SCMAG

r 1

Iron Filings 6SCIF

r 1

Nut-snap 6SCNS

r 1

Jumper Wire (Black) 6SCJ1

r 1

Press Switch 6SCS2

r 1

Jumper Wire (Red) 6SCJ2

r 2

Slide Switch 6SCS5

r 3

Lamp 6SCL4

You may order additional / replacement parts at our

website: www.snapcircuits.net

6

5

4

3

2

1

M1

S2

M5

M3

S5

-2-

Parts List (Colors and styles may vary) Symbols and Numbers

B3

L4

N

S

-3-

How to Use It

Snaptricity®uses building blocks with snaps to
build the different electrical and electronic
circuits in the projects. Each block has a
function: there are s witch bloc ks, lamp b loc ks,
battery blocks, different length wire b locks , etc.
These blocks are different colors and have
numbers on them so that you can easily
identify them. The blocks you will be using are
shown as color symbols with level numbers
next to them, allowing you to easily snap them
together to form a circuit.

For Example:

This is the switch bloc k which is green and has
the marking on it. The par t symbols in this
booklet may not exactly match the appear ance
of the actual parts, but will clearly identify
them.

This is a wire block which is blue and comes in
different wire lengths.
This one has the number , , , , or

on it depending on the length of the wire

connection required.

There is also a 1-snap wire that is used as a
spacer or for interconnection between diff erent
layers.

You need a power source to build each circuit.
This is labeled and requires three (3) “AA”
batteries (not included with the Snaptricity

®

kit).

A large clear plastic base grid is included with
this kit to help keep the circuit blocks properly
spaced. You will see evenly spaced posts that
the different blocks snap into. The base has
rows labeled A-G and columns labeled 1-10.

Next to each part in every circuit drawing is a
small number in black. This tells you which
level the component is placed at. Place all
parts on level 1 first, then all of the parts on
level 2, then all of the parts on level 3, etc.

Some circuits use the jumper wires to make
unusual connections. Just clip them to the
metal snaps or as indicated.

Note: While building the projects, be careful
not to accidentally make a direct connection
across the battery holder (a “short circuit”),
as this may damage and/or quickly drain the
batteries.

S2

2

3 4 5

6

B3

-4-

About Y our Snaptricity

®

Parts

(Part designs are subject to change without
notice).

The base grid is a platform for

mounting parts and wires.

It functions like the

printed circuit

boards used in

most electronic

products, or like how

the walls are used for

mounting the electrical

wiring in your home.

BASE GRID

The blue snap wires

are wires used to

connect components.

They are used to

transport electricity and do not

affect circuit performance. They

come in different lengths to allow orderly

arrangement of connections on the base grid.

The red and black
jumper wires make
flexible connections
for times when using
the snap wires would be difficult.
They also are used to make
connections off the base grid (like the projects
using water).

Wires transport
electricity just like
pipes are used to
transport water.
The colorful plastic coating protects them and
prevents electricity from getting in or out.

The batteries (B3) produce an electrical voltage
using a chemical reaction. This “voltage” can be
thought of as electr

ical pressure, pushing
electricity through a circuit just like a pump
pushes water through pipes. This voltage is
much lower and much safer than that used in
your house wiring. Using more batteries
increases the “pressure”, therefore, more
electricity flows.

The funny marking on the battery holder is the
standard battery symbol used in electrical wiring
diagrams. These wiring diagrams are called

schematics, and are used in everything from

house wir

ing to complex radios.

The press switch (S2)

connects (pressed,

“ON”) or

disconnects (not

pressed, “OFF”)

the wires in a circuit.
When ON it has no effect on circuit performance.
It turns on electricity just like a faucet turns on
water from a pipe.

The electrical symbol for a press switch is shown
here.

The slide switch

(S5) connects

(ON) the center

snap to one of the

other two snaps.

When connected it has

no effect on circuit
performance. It directs electricity just like a v alue
controls water in a pipe.

The electrical symbol is shown here. It resembles
the symbol for a door used in architect drawings
for a house.

Engineers call this type of switch a SPDT
(Single-Pole Double-Throw), representing how
one point can be connected to either of two
others.

SNAP WIRES & JUMPER WIRES

BATTERY HOLDER

PRESS SWITCH

Press Switch (S2)

SLIDE SWITCH

Slide Switch Symbol

Slide Switch (S5)

Battery Symbol

Battery Holder (B3)

Press Switch Symbol

About Y our Snaptricity

®

Parts

How does electricity turn the shaft in the motor?
The answer is magnetism. Electricity is closely
related to magnetism, and an electric current
flowing in a wire has a magnetic field similar to
that of a very , v ery tiny magnet. Inside the motor
is a coil of wire with many loops wrapped around
metal plates. This is called an electromagnet. If
a large electric current flows through the loops, it
will turn ordinary metal into a magnet. The motor
shell also has a magnet on it. When electricity
flows through the electromagnet, it repels from
the magnet on the motor shell and the shaft
spins. If the fan is on the motor shaft, then its
blades will create airflow.

-5-

The meter (M5) is an important measuring
device. You will use it to measure the voltage
(electrical pressure) and current (how fast
electricity is flowing) in a circuit.

The electrical symbol for a meter is shown below .

The meter measures voltage when connected in
parallel to a circuit and measures the current
when connected in series in a circuit.

This meter has one voltage scale (5V) and two
current scales (1mA and 1A). These use the
same meter but with internal components that
scale the measurement into the desired range.
This will be explained more later . Note: Your M5
meter is a simple meter. Don’t expect it to be as
accurate as normal electronic test instruments.

The motor (M1) converts electricity into
mechanical motion. An electric current in the
motor will turn the shaft and the motor blades,
and the fan blade if it is on the motor. The
electrical symbol for a motor is also shown here.

METER

MOTOR

Meter Symbol

Magnet

Coil

Pointer

Contacts

Motor Symbol

Magnet

Electromagnet

Shaft

Power Contacts

Shell

Meter (M5)

Motor (M1)

Fan

Inside the meter there is a fixed magnet and a
moveable coil around it. As current flows through
the coil, it creates a magnetic field. The
interaction of the two magnetic fields causes the
coil (connected to the pointer) to move (deflect).

About Y our Snaptricity

®

Parts

-6-

A light bulb, such as in the 4.5V lamps (L4),
contains a special thin high-resistance wire.
When a lot of electricity flows through, this wire

gets so hot it glows bright.

V oltages abov e the bulb’ s

rating can

burn out

the wire.

The electrical symbol for a lamp is shown here,
though other symbols are also used in the
industry.

LAMP

Lamp Symbol

Lamp (L4)

The electromagnet (M3) is a large coil of wire,
which acts like a magnet when electricity flows
through it. Placing an iron bar inside increases
the magnetic effects. The electromagnet can
store electrical energy in a magnetic field.

The properties of the electromagnet will be
explained in the projects. Note that magnets can
increase magnetic media like floppy disks.

The grommet will be used to hold the iron core
rod on the electromagnet.

ELECTROMAGNET

Electromagnet (M3)

Iron Core Rod

(usually placed in

electromagnet)

Electromagnet

Symbol with Rod

Inside

Grommet

OTHER PARTS

The magnet is an ordinary magnet
like those in your home.

The compass is
a standard compass.
The red needle will
point toward the
strongest magnetic
field around it, usually
the north pole of the
earth.

The iron filings are
tiny fragments of
iron in a sealed
case. They will
be used in
magnetism
projects.

The copper and zinc
electrodes are just metals
that will be used for electro­chemical projects.

The nut-snap is an iron nut mounted
on a snap for special projects.

The string will be used
in special projects. You
can use your own string
if you need more.

The thin rod is an iron bar
for special projects.

The Paper Clips will be
used for special projects.
You can use your own if
you need more, but they
must be metal.

The spare motor top is provided in
case you break the one on the motor.
Use a screwdriver to pry the broken
one off the motor, then push the
spare one on.

Electromagnet

Symbol without Rod

-7-

DO’s and DON’Ts of Building Circuits

After building the circuits given in this booklet, you may wish to
experiment on your own. Use the projects in this booklet as a guide, as
many important design concepts are introduced throughout them. Every
circuit will include a power source (the batteries), a resistance (which
might be a lamp, motor, electromagnet, etc.), and wiring paths between
them and back. You must be careful not to create “short circuits” (very

lo

w-resistance paths across the batteries, see examples below) as this

will damage components and/or quickly drain your batteries. ELENCO

®

is not responsible for parts damaged due to incorrect wiring.

Here are some important guidelines:

ALWAYS

use eye protection when experimenting on your own.

ALWAYS

include at least one component that will limit the current
through a circuit, such as a lamp, motor, or electromagnet.

ALWAYS

use the meter and switches in conjunction with other
components that will limit the current through them. Failure
to do so will create a short circuit and/or damage those
parts.

ALWAYS

disconnect your batteries immediately and check your wiring
if something appears to be getting hot.

ALWAYS

check your wiring before turning on a circuit.

NEVER

connect to an electrical outlet in your home in any way.

NEVER

leave a circuit unattended when it is turned on.

NEVER

touch the motor when it is spinning at high speed.

For all of the projects given in this book, the parts may be arranged in
different ways without changing the circuit. For example, the order of
parts connected in series or in parallel does not matter — what matters
is how combinations of these sub-circuits are arranged together.

Examples of SHORT CIRCUITS - NEVER DO THESE!!!

You are encouraged to tell us about new circuits you create. If they are
unique, we will post them with your name and state on our website at
www.snapcircuits.net/kidkreations.htm. Send your suggestions to
ELENCO

®

: [e-mail].

ELENCO

®

provides a circuit designer so that you can make y our o wn

Snap Circuits

®

drawings. This Microsoft®Word document can be
downloaded from www.snapcircuits.net/SnapDesigner.doc or
through the www.snapcircuits.net web site.

WARNING: SHOCK HAZARD - Never connect your

Snaptricity®set to the electrical outlets in your home in any way!

Placing a 3-snap wire directly across
the batteries is a SHORT CIRCUIT.

This is also a
SHORT CIRCUIT.

When the switch (S5)
is turned on, this large
circuit has a SHORT
CIRCUIT path (as
shown by the arrows).
The short circuit
prevents any other
portions of the circuit
from ever working.

NEVER

DO!

!

!

NEVER

DO!

!

NEVER

DO!

!

NEVER

DO!

-8-

Advanced Troubleshooting

(Adult supervision recommended)

ELENCO®is not responsible for parts
damaged due to incorrect wiring.

If you suspect you have damaged parts,
y

ou can follow this procedure to
systematically determine which ones need
replacing:

1. 4.5V lamps (L4), motor (M1), and battery

holder (B3): Place batteries in holder.

Place the 4.5V lamp directly across the
batter

y holder, it should light. Do the same
with the motor (motor + to battery +), it
should spin to the right at high speed (use
two 1-snap wires as spacers). If none w ork
then replace your batteries and repeat, if still
bad then the battery holder is damaged.

2. Set the motor (M1) by itself and place the
fan on it. If the Motor (M1) does not

balance the fan e

venly: Inspect the black

plastic piece at the top of the motor shaft, it
should have 3 prongs. If missing or broken,
replace it with the spare that is included with
this kit (a broken one can be removed with
a screwdriver). If the motor is fine, then
inspect the fan.

3. Jumper wires: Use this mini-circuit to test
each jumper wire

, the lamp should light.

4. Snap wires: Use this mini-circuit to test
each of the snap wires

, one at a time. The

lamp should light.

5. Slide switch (S5): Build project 10. With
the s

witch in the left position (C), the left
lamp should be on. With the switch in the
right position (B), the right lamp should be
on.

6. Press switch (S2): Build project 75. When
y

ou press the switch, the lamp should light.

7. Meter (M5): Build project 75, but replace
the 3-snap wire with the meter

.

a. Set the meter to the 5V scale and push

the press switch. The meter should
read at least 2.5V.

b. Set the meter to the 1mA scale and

push the switch. The reading should be
over maximum.

c. Set the meter to the 1A scale and push

the switch. The meter should show a
small current.

8. Electromagnet (M3): Build project 46 and
place the iron core rod in the electromagnet.
When y

ou press the switch (S2), the rod in

the electromagnet should act like a magnet.

9. Iron filings: Sometimes the filings may
stic

k to the case, making it appear cloudy.
Move a magnet (the one in this kit or a
stronger one in your home) across the case
to clean them off.

10. Compass and magnet: The red
compass needle should point nor

th,
unless it is near a magnet or large iron
object. The red compass needle will point
toward the black (S) side of the magnet.

ELENCO

®

150 Carpenter Avenue

Wheeling, IL 60090 U.S.A.

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

e-mail: [e-mail]

Website: www.elenco.com

You may order additional /

replacement par

ts at:

www.snapcircuits.net

Project # Description Page # Project # Description Page # Project # Description Page #

Project Listings

-9-

Welcome to Electronics

1 Electronic Playground 10
2 Parallel Play 11
3 Wicked Switches 12
4 Spinning Cylinder Suspender 13

Static Electricity

5 Electricity Y ou Can Wear 14
6 Electricity In Your Hair 15
7 Bending Water 16
8 More Static Tricks 17

Electrical Materials

9 Light the Way (Lamp circuit) 18
10 Flip It (2-position switch) 19
11 Pushing Electricity 20

(Voltage across lamp)

12 Pushing a Lot of Electricity 21

(Voltage across motor)

13 What’s An Ohm? 22

(Find lamp resistance)

14 Be a Scientist 23

(Conductors and insulators)

15 Make Your Own Parts 24

(Resistance of graphite in pencils)

16 Hydro-Resistors 25

(Resistance of water)

Basic Electrical Circuits

17 One Way Around 26

(Lamps in series)

18 Many Paths 27

(Lamps in parallel)

19 Parallel Swapping 28
20

Series Swapping 29

21 Light Bulb 30

(Incandescent light bulbs)

22 Batteries in Series 31
23

Batteries in Parallel 32

24 Voltage Divider 33

(Voltages in a series circuit)

25 Voltage Shifter 34

(Currents in a series circuit)

26 T riple Voltage Divider 35

(Voltages in a series circuit)

27 Triple Switching Voltmeter 36

(Voltages in a series circuit)

28 Triple Switching Ammeter 37

(Currents in a series circuit)

29 Current Divider 38

(Currents in parallel circuits)

30 Ohm’s Law 39

(Measuring resistance of parts)

31 Ohm’s Law - Cold Lamp 40

Putting Electricity to Use

32 2-Way Switch 41

(Switching for lights in home)

33 Another 2-Way Switch 42
34

3-Speed Motor 43

(Regulating motor speed with lamps)

35 3-Speed Motor (II) 44
36

3-Speed Motor (III) 45

37 3-Position Switch 46

(Simulate more complex switch)

38 3-Position Switch (II) 47
39

4-Position Switch 48

40 AND 49

(Simulate an AND gate with switches)

41 AND NOT 50

(Simulate a NAND gate with switches)

42 OR 51

(Simulate an OR gate with switches)

Magnetism

43 Compass 52
44 Magnetic Fields 53
45 Iron Extension 54

(Extending a magnet with an iron bar)

46 Electronic Magnet 55
47

Electromagnet Magnetic Field 56

48 Electromagnet T o wer 57

(Suspending iron rod in air)

49 Electromagnetic Suspender 58
50

Electromagnet Direction 59

(Reversing current)

51 Wire Magnet 60

(Magnetic field from wire)

52 Magnetic Induction 61

(Induce a current in a coil)

Motor Circuits

53 Motor 62
54 Propeller and Fan 63
55 Back EMF (Motor characteristics) 64
56 Generator 65

(Make a current with the motor)

57 Make Your Own Generator 66

(Make current with the motor)

58 String Generator 67

(Use string to spin the motor faster)

59 Motion Enhancer 68
60

Holding Down 69

(Overloading batteries)

Advanced Magnetic Circuits

61 Make Your Own Electromagnet 70
62 Relay (Build a relay) 71
63

Relay (II) 72
64 Relay (III) 73
65 Buzzer 74

(Build a buzzer with the electromagnet)

66 Buzzer (II) 75
67 Reed Switch 76

(Magnetically controlled switch)

68 Reed Switch (II) 77

Electrochemistry

69 Cola Power 78

(Use soda as a battery)

70 Fruit Power 79

(Use fruit as a battery)

71 Water Impurity Detector 80

(Current from water)

Fun with Electricity and Magnetism

72 Indian Rope Trick 81

(Suspend objects in air)

73 Hypnotic Discs 82

(Spinning patterns)

74 Spin Draw 83
75

Morse Code 84
76 Flying Saucer (Launch the fan) 85
77

Power Light Regulator 86

(Regulate lamp brightness)

78 Raising the Bar 87
79

Electromagnetic Playground 88

Project #1

Electronic Playground

!

WARNING: Moving parts.

Do not touch the fan or
motor during operation.

!

WARNING:

Do not lean
over the motor .

Build the circuit shown by placing all the parts with a black
1 next to them on the clear plastic base grid first. Then,
assemble parts marked with a 2, and finally the parts
marked with a 3. Be sure to place the motor (M1) with the
(+) side oriented as shown. Place the iron core rod into the
electromagnet (M3) as shown, set the meter (M5) to the 1A
scale, place the fan on the motor, and install three (3) “AA”
alkaline batteries (not included) into the battery holder (B3).

Assembly

Depending on the position of the slide switches (S5), the
fan will spin, and in rare cases, fly into the air. Do not lean
over the fan when it is spinning. Pushing the press switch
(S2) will attract the compass to the electromagnet (M3).

You may need to giv e the f an a push with y our finger to get
it started.

Operation

1A

+

Educational Corner:

-10-

This diagram is a simplified
drawing of the circuit, with the
components represented by
symbols (the symbols are
explained on pages 4-6).
Engineers use these diagrams,
called schematics, because
dr

awing pictures of their
circuits takes too much time
and the connections are often
unclear.

Electric Paths

1A

+

Placement Level

Numbers

Placement

Level

Numbers

Snappy says:

electronics can

be lots of fun!

Project #2

parallel play

5V

+

Educational Corner:

-11-

5V

Electric Paths

+

Electronics is the science of working with and controlling

electricity.

Build the circuit as shown. Set the meter (M5) to the 5V
scale.

Assembly

Set the right slide switch (S5) to “C” to tur n on the circuit.
The meter (M5) measures the voltage. The compass is
attracted to the electromagnet (M3). The left slide switch
(S5) can bypass the bottom lamp. Pushing the press switch
(S2) will spin the fan.

Operation

This circuit spreads the electricity from the batteries into
four parallel sub-circuits to do different things. Connecting
electrical components in parallel means they are between
the same points in a circuit. You will learn about parallel
circuits later.

Description

!

WARNING: Moving parts.

Do not touch the fan or
motor during operation.

!

WARNING:

Do not lean
over the motor .

Snappy says:
electricity can be used
to do lots of different
tasks at once.

Snappy says:

switches are used all

over electronics - try

to count how many

are in your home!

Project #3

wicked switches

1A

+

1A

Educational Corner:

Electric Paths

+

Switches are used to turn electrical appliances on or off, or to
change electrical connections.

The light in your refrigerator is activated by a switch. Each of the
buttons on your computer keyboard controls a switch, and there
are several switches in the computer’s mouse.

Build the circuit as shown. Set the meter (M5) to the 1A
scale.

Assembly

Push the press switch (S2) to turn on the circuit. Flip the
slide switches (S5) and see what happens. You may need
to give the fan a push with your finger to get it started.

Operation

The slide switches direct the electricity between the
different circuit paths (each has a lamp). You will learn more
about switches later.

Description

!

WARNING: Moving parts.

Do not touch the fan or
motor during operation.

!

WARNING:

Do not lean
over the motor .

-12-

Project #4

1A

-13-

1A

Electric Paths

Educational Corner:

+

Spinning Cylinder

Suspender

Build the circuit as shown. Set the meter (M5) to the 1A
scale. Drop the thin rod into the electromagnet.

Assembly

Set the right slide switch (S5) to “C” to tur n on the circuit.
The thin rod gets suspended in mid-air by the
electromagnet. The left slide switch (S5) selects whether
the lamps or motor are on.

Operation

The thin rod is held in the air by electromagnetism, which
you will learn more about later.

Description

!

WARNING: Moving parts.

Do not touch the fan or
motor during operation.

!

WARNING:

Do not lean
over the motor .

Snappy says:
it seems like magic,
but it’s
electromagnetism!

+

Project #5

Find some clothes that cling
together in the dryer, and try to
uncling them.

Educational Corner:

Did you ever wonder why clothes cling together when
they come out of the dryer? Did you ever hear a
crackling sound when you take off a sweater? (If the
room is dark you might even see sparks.) Did y ou e v er
feel a “zap” when you touch someone wearing a
sweater on a dry day? These effects are caused by
electricity. We call this static electricity because the
electr

ical charges are not moving, although pulling
clothes apart sounds like static on a radio. When
electricity is moving (usually through wires) to do
something in another place, we call it an electric

current.
Electricity is an attraction and repulsion of particles in

a mater

ial. All materials are made up of atoms, which

are really

, really tiny. Atoms hav e a nucleus (which has

positive electrical charges), which is surrounded by tiny

electrons (negative electrical charges). When y ou rub

a mater

ial, electrons can move on or off the atoms,

giving them an electrical charge.

Electricity exists everywhere, but is so well balanced,
that you seldom notice it. But, sometimes differences
in electrical charges build up between materials, and
sparks can fly. Lightning is the same effect as the
sparks between clothes, but on a much greater scale.
A cloud holds static electricity just like a sweater.

Photo courtesy of: NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library;
OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) [via pingnews].

Why do

you often “see”

lightning before

you “hear” it? It is

because light

travels faster than

sound.

Note:This project works best on a
cold dry day. If the weather is
humid, the water vapor in the air
allows the static electric charge to
dissipate, and this project may not
work.

-14-

+

+

+

+

+

Electrons

–

–

–

–

–

–

Nucleus

This diagram shows the
structure of an atom, except
that the nucleus and
electrons are actually much
farther apart.

The crackling noise you hear when
taking off a sweater is static
electricity. You may see sparks
when taking one off in a dark room.

Electricity You Can Wear

Snappy says: clothes

can cling together

because electricity is

all around us.

Rub a sweater (wool is best) and
see how it clings to other clothes.

Snappy says: notice how
your hair can “stand up” or be
attracted to the comb when
the air is dry . W etting your hair
dissipates the static charge.

-15-

Project #6

Educational Corner:

Hold your magnet near the paper pieces; nothing happens.
Run the comb in your hair again and place it next to the iron

filings case; not much happens (there ma y be a weak attr action).
Now hold the magnet near the iron filings; they jump to it easily.

What’s happening?
Running the comb through your hair builds up an electric charge

in it, which is different from the magnetic charge in the magnet.
The paper pieces are attracted to an electric charge, while the
iron filings are attracted to a magnetic charge.

You will learn more about the differences between electricity and
magnetism later.

Do you want to learn more?

Iron filings are

weakly attracted

to the comb.

Iron filings are

strongly attracted

to the magnet.

Electricity in Your Hair

You need a comb (or a plastic ruler) and some paper for
this project. Rip up the paper into small pieces.

Assembly

Run the comb through your hair several times then hold it
near the paper pieces to pick them up. You can also use a
pen or plastic ruler, rub it on your clothes (wool works best).

Operation

Rubbing the comb through your hair pulls extremely tiny
charged particles from your hair onto the comb. These giv e
the comb a static electrical charge, which attracts the paper
pieces.

Description

Note: This project

works best on a
cold dry day. If the
weather is humid,
the water vapor in
the air allows the
static electric
charge to
dissipate, and this
project may not
work.

Project #7

Educational Corner:

Static electricity was discovered more than 2,500 years ago
when the Greek philosopher Thales noticed that when amber (a
hard, clear, y ellow-tinted material) is rubbed, light materials like
feathers stick to it. Electricity is named after the Greek word for
amber, which is electron.

Other facts about Static Electricity:

1. Static electricity in the atmosphere causes the “static” (erratic
noises) you hear on your AM radio when reception is poor.

2. Static Electricity can damage some types of sensitive
electronic components. Electronics manufacturers protect
against this using static-dissipating wrist straps, floor mats,
and humidity control. Your Snaptricity

®

parts will not be

damaged by static.

3. Some homes have “lightning rods”, which are metal bars
from the roof to the ground. These help protect the home by
encouraging lightning to go through the the rods instead of
the house.

Anti-Static Wrist Strap

Note: This project works best on a cold dry

day. If the weather is humid, the water vapor
in the air allows the static electric charge to
dissipate, and this project may not work.

-16-

Lightning Rod

Bending Water

You need a comb (or plastic ruler) and a water faucet for
this project.

Assembly

Run the comb through your hair several times then hold it
next to a slow, thin stream of water from a faucet. The w ater
will bend towards it. You can also use a plastic ruler . Rub it
on your clothes (wool works best).

Operation

Rubbing the comb through your hair builds up a static
electrical charge on it, which attracts the water.

Description

Snappy says: big
planes can build up a
large static charge in
flight. They are
usually connected to
something like a
lightning rod as soon
as they land.

-17-

Project #8

More Static Tricks

Educational Corner:

Electricity vs. Gravity:

Electricity is immensely more powerful than
gravity (gra vity is what causes things to fall to the
ground when you drop them). Howe v er electrical
attraction is so completely balanced out that you
don’t notice it, while gravity’s effects are always
apparent because they are not balanced out.

Gravity is actually the attraction between objects
due to their weight (or technically, their mass).
This effect is extremely small and can be ignored
unless one of the objects is as big as a planet (like
the earth). Gravity attraction never goes away
and is seen every time you drop something.
Electrical charge, though usually balanced out
perfectly, can move around and change quickly.

For example, you have seen how clothes can
cling together in the dryer due to static electricity .
There is also a gravity attraction between the
sweaters, but it is always extremely small.

Note: This project works best on a
cold dry day . If the w eather is humid,
the water vapor in the air allows the
static electric charge to dissipate,
and this project may not work.

If you have two balloons, rub them to a
sweater and then hang the rubbed sides
next to each other . They repel aw a y. You
could also use the balloons to pick up
tiny pieces of paper.

1. Corona wire charges
drum with static electricity

2. Light from white
areas of document
being copied destroys
the charge.

3. Toner from roller is attracted
to the charged areas.

4. Toner image transfers
to charged paper.

5. Heated rollers
bond toner image
to paper.

In many photocopiers, a drum is charged with static electricity. Light from
the white areas of the document being copied destroys the charge, but dark
areas of the document leave a pattern of charge on the drum. Toner (a
powder) is attracted to the charged areas, creating an image. The toner is
then transferred to paper and melted on.

Electricity Gravity

Take a piece of newspaper or other thin
paper and rub it vigorously with a
sweater or pencil. It will stick to a wall.

Cut the paper into two long strips, rub
them, then hang them next to each
other. See if they attract or repel each
other.

Snappy says: how well a
material can hold an
electric or magnetic
charge depends on the
characteristics of the
material.

Project #9

Light the Way

Educational Corner:

What is really happening here?

1. The batteries (B3) convert chemical energy into
electrical energy and “push” it through the circuit,
just like the electricity from your power company. A
battery pushes electricity through a circuit just like a
pump pushes water through a pipe.

2. The snap wires (the blue pieces) carry the electricity
around the circuit, just like wires carry electricity
around your home. Wires carry electricity just like
pipes carry water.

3. The slide switch (S5) controls the electricity by
turning it on or off, just like a light switch on the wall
of your home. A switch controls electricity like a
faucet controls water.

4. The lamp (L4) converts electrical energy into light, it
is the same as a lamp in your home except smaller.
In a light bulb, electricity heats up a high-resistance
wire until it glows. A light bulb shows how much
electricity is flowing in a circuit like a water meter
shows how fast water flows in a pipe.

5. The base grid is a platform for mounting the circuit,
just like how wires are mounted in the walls of your
home to control the lights.

Water Meter

Pump

Valve

Comparing Electric
Flow to Water Flow:

Electric Paths

-18-

Build the circuit shown by placing all the parts with a black
1 next to them on the clear plastic base grid first. Then,
assemble parts marked with a 2. Scre w a bulb into the lamp
socket (L4) and install three (3) “AA” batteries (not included)
into the battery holder (B3).

Assembly

This circuit is just like a lamp in your home, when you flip
the switch (S5) to on (position B), the lamp (L4) will be on.

Operation

Snappy says: touch the light
and feel how warm it is. Only
about 5% of the electricity is
converted into light, the rest
becomes heat. Don’t touch light
bulbs in your home because
they can be very hot.

Educational Corner:

Flip It

Project #10

-19-

The slide and press switches included in
Snaptricity®are simple switches, more
complex types are also available.
Switches come in almost every shape
and size imaginable. There are
membrane, rocker, rotary, DIP, push
button, and momentary types just to
name a few.

Very often, a single switch is used to
make many different connections. The
combinations of connections for a switch
are indicated in the symbol for it. Here
are some examples:

The “on” position of a s witch is also called
the “closed” position. Similarly, the “off”
position is also called the “open” position.
This is because the symbol for a slide
switch is similar to the symbol for a door
in an architect’s drawing of a room:

The electronics symbol for a slide switch
should be thought of as a door to a circuit,
which swings open when the switch is off .
The “door” to the circuit is closed when
the switch is on. This is shown here:

Push Button

Computer

Keyboards

Rocker

Tools

Rotary

Selector Switch

on Appliances

Slide

Toys,

Household

Items

Rotary Switch

Schematic

Slide Switch

Schematic

Walls

Door

Left switch position

closed

(turned on)

Right switch position

open

(turned off)

Left switch position

open

(turned off)

Right switch position

closed

(turned on)

Open Switch (turned off)

Electric Paths

Snappy says: the current
carrying capacity of a switch
depends on the contact
material, size, and the pressure
between the contacts.

Closed Switch (turned on)

Your S5 switch has 2 positions,
so it has a different symbol:

Build the circuit shown.

Assembly

The slide switch (S5) directs the electricity to either of two
paths (both lamps here). It is like many switches in your
home, controlling different lights in the same area.

Operation

Replace the 3-snap wire with the press switch (S2). Now
either lamp (L4) is only on when S2 is pressed.

Variant

Pushing Electricity

Project #11

-20-

5V

5V

Educational Corner:

Build the circuit and connect the red jumper wire as shown.
Set the meter (M5) to the 5V setting and the slide switch
(S5) to position C at first.

Assembly

Read the battery voltage on the meter (the top scale), it
should be about 4.5V. The lamp will be off.

Flip the switch to position B; the lamp lights and the v oltage
drops a little. (To learn why the voltage drops now, ask
Snappy.)

Move the red jumper wire from position A on the switch to
position B. The battery voltage is the same here because
none is lost across the switch.

Now flip the switch to position C (OFF); the voltage at the
lamp drops to zero and it shuts off.

Operation

Electricity is the movement of sub-atomic charged particles (electrons) through a material due
to electrical pressure across the material, such as from a battery.

The electrical pressure exerted by a battery or other power source is called voltage and is
measured in volts (V, and named after Alessandro Volta who invented the battery in 1800).
Notice the

“+” and “–” signs on the battery. These indicate which direction the battery will “pump”

the electricity.
Circuits need the right voltage to work properly . F or e xample, if the electrical pressure to a lamp

is too low, then the bulb won’t turn on; and if too high, then the bulb will overheat and burn out.
The electric current is a measure of how fast electricity is flowing in a wire, just as the water

current describes how fast water is flowing in a pipe. It is expressed in amperes (A, named
after Andre Ampere who studied the relationship between electricity and magnetism) or

milliamps (mA, 1/1000 of an ampere).

Record the voltage you measured here, it will be used in project 13:

Snappy says: the batter y voltage drops when the lamp is connected because
the batteries have trouble supplying as much electricity as the lamp would lik e.
Remember that a battery produces electricity from a chemical reaction. Not
only is there a limited amount of the chemicals in a small battery (batteries
slowly get weaker as you use them), but also not all of the material can react
together at the same time.

Educational Corner:

-21-

Pushing a Lot of Electricity

Project #12

Wires can generally be as long as desired
without affecting performance, just as
using garden hoses of different lengths
has little effect on the water pressure as
you water your garden. However there are
cases where the length and size of a pipe
does matter, such as in the water lines for
your city. Similarly, wire length and size
are important for electric power lines
transporting electricity from a power plant
in a remote area to a city.

5V

5V

Batteries are made from materials like zinc and
magnesium dioxide, electricity flows as these react
with each other. As more material is used up by
the reaction, the battery voltage is slowly reduced
until eventually the circuit no longer functions and
you have to replace the batteries. Some batteries,
called rechargeable batteries (such as the batteries
in your cell phone), allow you to reverse the
chemical reaction
using another
electric source.

Snappy says voltage is
sometimes called electro­motive-force (EMF) because
it pushes the electrons
through the circuit.

+

Build the circuit as shown; it is the same as the preceding
one except the lamp (L4) was replaced by the motor (M1).
Set the meter (M5) to the 5V setting and the slide switch
(S5) to position C at first.

Assembly

Read the battery voltage on the meter (the top scale), it should
be about 4.5V. Flip the switch to position B; the fan spins and
the voltage drops - more than it did with the lamp.

Turn off the circuit and remove the fan. T urn the switch bac k on
and read the voltage; it doesn’t drop as much without the fan.

Operation

It takes a lot of current to spin the fan as f ast as it would lik e
to go, and the batteries can’t produce enough. As a result,
the voltage (electrical pressure) from the batteries drops.

It’s a lot easier to spin the motor shaft without the fan on it,
so the voltage doesn’t drop much without the fan.

Description

!

WARNING: Moving

parts. Do not touch
the fan or motor
during operation.

!

WARNING: Do not

lean over the motor.

+

-22-

What’s An Ohm?

Project #13

1A

1A

Snappy says: the Ω

symbol is the last letter in

the Greek alphabet and

is pronounced Omega.

Educational Corner:

The resistance of a circuit represents how much it resists
the electrical pressure (voltage) and limits the flow of
electric current. The relationship between voltage, current,
and resistance is the most important one in electronics. It
is known as Ohm’s Law (after George Ohm who
disco

vered it in 1828):

When there is more resistance, less current will flow unless
you increase the voltage. Resistance is measured in ohms.
The symbol used for an ohm is Ω.

Using the voltage measurement you made in project 11 and
the current measurement you made here, you can calculate
the resistance of the lamp. It is usually 15-20 ohms.

The other parts in the circuit (switch, meter on 1A scale,
blue snap wires, and batteries) also have resistance but
these are much smaller.

Note: Your actual results may vary. Your M5 meter is a
simple meter; don’t expect it to be as accurate as normal
electronic test instruments.

What is Resistance? Take your hands and rub them
together very fast. Your hands should feel warm. The

friction between your hands converts your effort into heat.

Resistance is the electr

ical friction between an electric
current and the material it is flowing through; it is the loss of
energy from electrons as they move through the material.

Voltage

Resistance

Current =

The “power” of electricity is a
measure of how fast energy is
moving through a wire. It is
expressed in Watts(W, after James
W

att for his work with engines). It
is a combination of the electrical
voltage (pressure) and current:

Power = Voltage x Current

OR

Using the voltage and current
measurements you made, you
can calculate the power of the
lamp. It should be about 1 watt.
Compare this to the light bulbs in
your home, which are usually
about 40-100 watts.

Voltage x Voltage

Resistance

Power =

Electric

Paths

= Current x Current x Resistance

Build the circuit shown. Set the meter (M5) to the 1A setting.

Assembly

Set the slide switch (S5) to position B to measure the
current through the lamp (L4).

Operation

1A

?

Snappy says: the
best conductor ever
discovered is silver,
which is very
expensive. Copper
is the second best
conductor, and it is
used in almost all
electrical wires.

-23-

Be A Scientist

Project #14

1A

Educational Corner:

Some materials, such as metals, have v ery low
resistance to electricity will make the lamp
bright and give a large current measurement on
the meter. These materials are called

conductors. Conductors have electrons that

are loosely held to the n

ucleus and can move

easily.
Other materials, such as paper, air , and plastic ,

have very high resistance to electricity. These
will turn off the lamp and give a zero current
measurement on the meter even in the 1mA
setting. These materials are called insulators.
Insulators ha

ve their electrons locked in tight

and have no room for more.
Did you ev er hear the term “blown fuse”?

Some special wires are designed to
break when an unexpectedly high
current flows through them. These are
called fuses.

Fuses are designed to shut do

wn a circuit when
something is wrong, such as a component
failure, bad design, or a person using it
improperly. This shutdown prevents further
damage to the circuit, and can prevent
explosions or fires.

Fuses are important for safety and most
electrical products have one, especially if they
use electricity supplied by your local electric
company. Small battery-powered products
usually do not have them because the batteries
are not powerful enough to cause harm.

Some fuses need to be
replaced after they
“blow”, but others
can be reset by
flipping a switch.
Every home has
an electrical box of
resetable fuses, it
may look like this:

This wire melts to
break the circuit.

Build the circuit shown, the can be anything you want. Set the meter
(M5) to the 1A setting.

Assembly

Turn on the slide switch (S5, position B) and touch various materials
between the snaps on the switch and meter. See which materials are
good at transporting electricity by watching the meter current and lamp
(L4) brightness. Try string, the electrodes, a shirt, plastic, paper, two of
your fingers, wood, or anything in your home.

If the meter reads zero, s witch it to the 1mA setting to see if there is just
a very small current. To help protect the meter, alw a ys switch bac k to the
1A scale before testing a new circuit.

Operation

?

-24-

Educational Corner:

Make Your Own Parts

Project #15

Build the circuit shown, set
the meter (M5) to the 1mA
setting.

Assembly

Make your parts using either the water puddles method (A), the
drawn parts method (B), or the pencil parts method (C). Set the
slide switch (S5) to position B to turn on the circuit. T ouch the metal
in the jumper wires to your parts and read the current in milliamps.

Operation

1mA

You can use Ohm’s Law to
measure the resistance of your
puddles and drawings. The
voltage is about 4.5V, and use the
current measured on the meter.

Voltage
Current

Resistance =

Snappy says: long narrow
shapes have more
resistance than short wide
ones.

1mA

Method A (easy): Spread some water on the table into

puddles of different shapes, perhaps like the ones sho wn
below. Touch the jumper wires to points at the ends of
the puddles.

Method C (adult supervision and permission
required): Change the setting on the meter to the 1A

scale. Use some double-sided pencils if available, or
VERY CAREFULLY break some pencils in half. Touch the
jumper wires to the black core of the pencil at both ends.

The black core of pencils is
graphite, the same material used
in resistor components
throughout the electronics
industry.

Method B (challenging): Use a SHARP pencil (No. 2
lead is best) and draw shapes, such as the ones here.
Draw them on a hard, flat surface. Press hard and fill in
several times until you have a thick, even layer of pencil
lead. Touch the jumper wires to points at the ends of the
drawings. You may get better electrical contact if you wet
the metal with a few drops of water. Wash your hands
when finished.

-25-

Educational Corner:

Hydro-Resistors

Project #16

Build the circuit shown. Set the meter (M5) to the 1mA setting. Add
about 1/4 inch of water to a cup or bowl. Connect the jumper wires
and place them in the water, make sure the metal parts aren’t
touching each other. Set the slide switch (S5) to position B to turn the
circuit on.

Assembly

Measure the current through the water.
Add salt to the water and stir to dissolve it. The current should be

higher now (if not already at full scale), since salt water has less
resistance than plain water.

Now add more water to the cup and watch the current.
If you have some distilled water, place the jumper wires in it and

measure the current. You should measure close to zero current, since
distilled (pure) water has very high resistance. Nor mal water has
impurities which lower its resistance. Now add salt to the distilled
water and watch the current increase as the salt dissolves!

You can also measure the current through other liquids.
Don’t drink any water or liquids used here.

Operation

1mA

Depending on your local water supply,
your current measurement may
exceed the 1mA scale. You can s witch
the meter to the 5V scale to get a
better comparison, though it isn’t
really a voltage measurement.

In the 5V setting, the water resistance
is compared to the internal resistance
of the meter. A low reading means the
water has relatively high resistance. A
high reading of 4V or more means the
water has relatively low resistance.

1mA

Snappy says: Pure water has very high
resistance because its atoms hold their
electrons tightly and have no room for more.
Impurities (such as dissolved dirt, minerals, or
salt) decrease the resistance because their
atoms have loose electrons, which make it
easier for other electrons to move through.

-26-

Educational Corner:

One Way Around

Project #17

Connecting parts in series is one way of arranging
them in a circuit. The advantage of it is that wiring
them together is simple. The disadvantage is that if
one lamp breaks, all three will be off.

Snappy says: the 0V or “–”
side of the battery is often
referred to as “ground”,
since in house or building
wiring it is connected to a rod
in the ground as protection
against lightning.

In this circuit the lamps are the resistances
which are limiting the flow of electricity. Placing
resistances in series increases the total
resistance. Advanced users can compute the
total resistance as follows:

R

series = R1 + R2 + R3 + . . .

The current is the same through all the
resistances in a ser

ies circuit. Ohm’s Law says
that Voltage equals Current times Resistance, so
the highest resistances in a series circuit will
have the largest voltage drop across them.
Equal resistances will have the same voltage
drop. In other words:

Voltage(across one resistor) =

Resistance(of that resistor)

Resistance

(total of resistors in the circuit)

x Voltage

(total applied to the series circuit)

Electric Paths

Strings of Christmas lights are
little low-voltage lamps
connected in series to the
house power (120V). They
are inexpensive, but if one
bulb falls out, then the entire
string will be off.

Most strings will still work if
one bulb burns out because a
special heat-activated bypass
wire is built into each bulb.
When the bulb burns out, the
full house voltage is across
the bypass wire, which heats
it until it turns on. Sometimes
only half the bulbs in a string
are lit. This is because some
long strings are actually two
(or more) shorter strings
connected in parallel.

Build the circuit and push the press switch (S2). The lamps
(L4) are all on, but are dim.

Assembly

The three lamps are connected in a series. They are dim
because the voltage from the batteries (B3) is divided
between them.

Description

-27-

Educational Corner:

Many Paths

Project #18

Connecting parts in parallel is another way of arranging them in a circuit. The advantage of it is
that if one burns out, the others will still work (unscrew one of the bulbs to prove this). The
disadvantage is that wiring the parts together is more complex than with series circuits.

All large circuits are made of combinations of series and parallel circuits.

Snappy says: most
of the lights in your
house are connected
in parallel; so if one
bulb burns out then
the others are not
affected.

In this circuit the lamps are the resistances which are
limiting the flow of electricity. Placing resistances in
parallel decreases the total resistance. Advanced
users can compute the total resistance as follows:

The voltage is the same across all the resistances in a parallel circuit. Ohm’s Law says that
Voltage equals Current times Resistance, so the lowest resistances in a parallel circuit will
have the most current through them. Equal resistances will have the same current. In other
words:

Current(through one branch) =

Resistance

(total in all OTHER parallel branches)

Resistance

(total of resistors in all branches)

x Current

(total applied to the parallel circuit)

Electric Paths

Build the circuit and push the press switch (S2). The lamps
(L4) are all bright.

Assembly

The three lamps are connected in parallel with one another.
They are bright because each lamp gets the full battery
voltage. The voltage pushes the current with equal force,
because all are 4.5V, down each path.

Description

1111

= + + + . . . .

R

parallel R1 R2 R3