EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION 39.1 How can we model an electricity generator?
Equipment Copper wire Cardboard tube
Method
1. Wind the copper wire around a cardboard tube approximately 50–100 times. Make sure to keep the two ends of the wire hanging free.
2. Connect each end of the copper wire to a separate crocodile clip. 3. Connect the clips to an ammeter. 4. Move the magnet in and out of the tube and record your observations.
Cardboard tube
Motion of
magnet
Crocodile clips Ammeter
Magnet
SAFETY • Be careful of sharp ends on the wires.
A Copper wire 0 + – 10 Ammeter
Crocodile clips :Fig. 39.3 To model an electricity generator j Go to page 113 of your Experimental Investigations Log to write up this investigation. Energy needs
Our energy needs have grown as society has developed. The world’s population is rising fast – it has increased from 2.5 billion people in 1950 to over 8 billion people today. In fact, the world has used as much energy in the past 70 years as the 11700 years before added together. As countries continue to modernise and as technology and transport use increases, the huge demand for energy will grow.
Our reliance on energy means that it is very important that the sources it comes from are sustainable. A sustainable resource is one that can be used to meet our current energy needs and will remain available to meet the energy needs of future generations.
:Fig. 39.4 The world’s energy demand is increasing Elements of Science 379