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Chapter 6, Section 2
The Electron Shuffle: Modeling a Series Circuit
The class will create a model of an electric circuit by students playing the roles of the battery,
the electric charge, and the load (light bulb). The model is not a perfect model – few seldom are.
However, it will give you a better idea of what is happening in an electric circuit, as energy is
pass from the battery to the electric charges to the light bulb.
1. We will be using the same model as in last class:
a. Battery Person: Supply plenty of energy, denoted by tokens.
b. Light bulb People: Shakes, jiggles, dances, and jumps around.
c. Electric Charge People: Carry the energy around the circuit. (1 Unit of charge =
1 Coulomb)
d. Energy Tokens: Supplies the Electrical energy needed for the light bulb to turn
into heat and light. 1 Token = 1 unit of energy (1 Joule of energy)
e. Switch Person: Opens and closes the circuit (starts and stops the current)…
Teacher does this role.
2. Question: How could the Electron Shuffle be performed when there are two light
bulbs in the circuit, one after the other?
3. Assume that the light bulbs are identical and require the same amount of energy to light
up. The Electric Charge will have to split its token in half and give half to each. Do the
Electron Shuffle.
4. Question: Since the brightness of the bulb depend on how much energy is used
up in the bulb during a given time, how would the brightness of each of the two
bulbs in series compare with the brightness of the single bulb hooked up to the
same battery?
5. Adapt this model for other situations.
a. Repeat the Electron Shuffle by changing the number of light bulbs to 4.
b. Repeat the Electron Shuffle by changing the current to 2 Amps.
c. Repeat the Electron Shuffle by changing the voltage to 3-V.
d. Repeat the Electron Shuffle by having two non-identical bulbs, where the first
bulb requires more energy than the second bulb.
e. Summarize what you did to make these changes.
6. Compare the brightness of bulbs in the various circuits.
One Bulb
Battery Voltage
Current in the
(volts)
circuit (amps)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
4
1
Two bulbs in series
Battery voltage (V)
Current in the
circuit (amps)
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
2
4
1
2
3
3
2
Comparison
Which circuit has the
brighter bulb(s)?