Kids know that they need electricity to charge their tablets and smartphones, but did they know they could generate their own electricity or make a battery from a lemon?
Lightning speed
Electricity travels at the speed of light, which is why you’ll always see the lightning before you hear the thunder. A lightning bolt has enough energy to light up 56 houses for a day or let you play Fortnite for at least a fortnight.
Electricity from manure
Cows produce a lot of bottom burbs, and scientists are now using that to create electricity. It’s known as biomass. They take the gas that’s created with the cow pat and put it into an airtight box. Then, they burn the cow parps, creating steam, which turns the turbines and creates the energy.
Short circuit
You can channel electricity through a circuit, which can charge a battery, power a light, or even make music. A theremin is an electronic instrument that you play by moving your hand around an antenna. You can even make one yourself.
Circuits can turn on and off using something called electrical control components, which work a bit like a switch. You have them all over your home; you can take a look at them and find out more at OSMElectrical
Electricity in you
Did you know that electricity even controls your heart? Electricity causes the muscle cells in your heart to work, so doctors can use a neat machine called an ECG to measure the electricity in your heart to check that it is working properly.
You can also create your own electricity buildup. Rub a balloon on your head and watch your hair stand on end. This is known as static electricity because the electricity doesn’t move; it just stays in one place. When you run the balloon on your head, you are building up the electric charge and this charge is the same as what you’d find in that bolt of lightning.
Acid electricity
You can even get electricity in fruit. Acidic fruit, like lemons, contain something called an electrolyte, which can carry an electrical current. You can use a little bit of copper like you’d find in a penny and harness the small electric current to light an LED.
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