Homemade Electric Generators
Team: __________
A generator is a simple device that moves a magnet near a wire to
create a steady flow of electrons. Generators are machines that change
mechanical energy into electrical energy. Generators produce almost all the
electric power used by people. They furnish electric power that runs machines
in factories, provides lighting, and operates home appliances.
One simple way to think about a generator is to imagine it acting
like a pump pushing water along. Instead of pushing water, however, a generator
uses a magnet to push electrons along.
You
will split into teams and assemble a basic electric generator with loops of
insulated copper wire, magnets, and a hand crank. The changes in magnetic flux
produced by manually spinning the magnets in the center of several loops of
wire will make current flow through the wires.
Procedure:
1.
Using hot glue
gun, melt 2 smooth circular holes into opposing sides of the plastic cup to fit
the nail.
2.
Leaving at
least 6 inches of wire free, hot glue the beginning of the coils onto the
plastic cup directly under one of the holes.
3.
Loop the
remaining wire around plastic cup, making sure to keep holes clear.
4.
Hot glue the
end of the wire after leaving at least 6 inches of wire free at the end on the
same side as the beginning of the coils.
5.
Strip about 1
inch of the ends of the wire.
6.
Run nail
through the holes in the plastic cup.
7.
Separate
magnets into groups of 2.
8.
On one group
of magnets, hot glue scraps of cardboard on outer edges so that the nail can
fit in the middle of the two groups of magnets when they are put together.
9.
Hot glue the
group of magnets with the cardboard to the nail in the cup.
10.
Hot glue the
remaining group of magnets to the cardboard scraps on the first group so that
the poles align.
11.
Attach one end
of the alligator clips to stripped ends of the wire and the other to a light
bulb or multimeter.
12.
Attach hand
crank to nail and crank to generate current through wires.
After constructing your
generator, use the hand crank to test the current you can produce. Enter that
information below:
|
Team # |
Length of Wire |
Current produced (mA) |
Light turn on? |
|
|
|
|
|
Each team has been given a
different length of wire for their generator. Let’s see how that affects the
energy production of each generator:
|
Team # |
Length of Wire |
Current produced (mA) |
Light turn on? |
|
1 |
200ft. |
|
|
|
2 |
300ft. |
|
|
|
3 |
400ft. |
|
|
|
4 |
500ft. |
|
|
|
5 |
600ft. |
|
|
Did some teams produce
more current than others? Why do you think this is?
What changes to your
generator do you think would produce more power?