morgan&&Julia;+electric+generator

Electric generator;

This is an AC electric generator which lights up a tiny light bulb. The generator is made from a cardboard box with a nail through the center. The box has many turns of varnished thin copper wire wound around, with four large magnets clamped around the nail. When the nail and magnets are spun fast by hand, the little light bulb lights up dimly. __ Materials: __ ** 4 ceramic block magnets ** ** 200ft wire ** ** 1 led light, ½ voltages ** ** Card board 8cm x 30.4cm ** ** 1 large nail 8cm long or more ** ** Sand paper for copper wire ** ** Tape to hold down wire ** ** Motor ** ** Low voltage power supply ** ** Red and black cords **

** How it works. ** The electricity supplied by a battery flows in one direction and is called direct current (D.C). The current supplied by a power station is called alternating current (A.C), because it’s constantly changing direction. An A.C generator works rather like an electric motor in reverse. Like electric motors, the generators have coils. Turning the coil between two magnets induces current which changes direction every half turn. The more magnets you have in your generator the more voltage you have. The effect is called Electromagnetic Induction. This is a basic law of physics, and it is used by all coil/magnet electric generators A coil with 100 turns will have a hundred times more voltage than a one-turn. (Please use more turns for this experiment 300/400 turns) Spin the magnet REALLY fast and the bulb will light dimly. If it doesn't work, try spinning it in a dark room so you don't miss the dim glow. If needed, adjust the position of the magnets so they don't hit or scrape the cardboard. This thing has to spin *fast*, and if the magnets whack the cardboard and slow down, you won't see any light.
 * TESTING IT; **