Learning about Electricity & Magnetism

Did you know that most electricity in the world is generated by moving magnetic fields near conductive copper wires? Moving magnetic flux creates movement in the electrons within the copper wire, generating electrical current that people use everyday. This process is called magnetic induction electricity generation. 

Ready for some magnetic induction electricity exploration? Check out these fun resources and activities for continued learning:

Activity #1: Learn more about Benjamin Franklin's Kite Experiment

As a precursor to learning about magnetic induction, the Electricity class discussed Benjamin Franklin's famous kite experiment. Find out more details of how the Franklin's kite experiment was designed in this video:

Activity #2: Build a Shake Light

A shake light is a common assignment for introductory electrical engineering course at the college level. It requires these supplies:

- A roll of magnet wire (magnet wire is copper wire covered with a thin layer of insulation, to avoid a short circuit)

- A cylindrical magnet

- LEDs

This video shows step-by-step instructions:

Activity #3: Build a bicycle-powered generator

If you have a spare bicycle and some time, you can build your own bicycle-powered generator! This video shows step-by-step instructions using a few re-purposed car parts: