March 4, 2014

SWITCHES AND MOTORSHOW DO PARALLEL CIRCUITS, SWITCHES,

AND MOTORS HELP US TO BUILD CIRCUITS WITH MORE COMPLEX FUNCTIONS?

March 4, 2014

What is a switch? switch: a component made of

conductive material that controls the flow of current through the circuit

Hold down switch when held down, two conductive ends

touch together, completing the circuit Examples: our blue circuit boards,

remote controls (volume button or video game), power tools (the trigger)

Usage: when we want momentary control over current flow

On/Off Switch A switch that is set in one of two

positions: either the conductive materials touch or don’t touch

Examples: TV power button, light switches

Usage: to simply either have current flowing or not flowing, but not have to hold the switch in place.

Three-Way Switch a switch that moves a piece of

conductive material to one of two paths Similar to a railroad switch

Examples: Traffic Lights Usage: Switching current back

and forth between several components

Motors A component that uses current and

internal magnets to cause a rod to spin. Most electrical devices with moving

parts have motors.