UPD8

Charge!

Learning objectives

Students will describe energy transfers in transformers ('chargers')

Try the activity

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• teachers_charge.doc
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Curriculum link

· Magnets and electromagnets [QCA 8j] – use the concept of magnetic field
· Energy and electricity [QCA 9i] – useful changes usually involved energy transfers and transformations; electrical energy is transferred round circuits and can be transformed in components; identify devices that act as energy stores; a simple model of energy transfer from batteries to components in circuits; cells have chemical energy

Running the activity

Suggested time: 20 minutes

Possible starter:
Set the scene by displaying page 1 on OHT or by projector. This page makes the point – through a text message conversation – that many of us have a great number of chargers at home, each compatible with only one device. But help is at hand! A universal charger – SplashPad – has just been invented.


Main activity:
Give each small group copies of pages 2 and 3. In the context of helping a person to decide whether or not to invest in SplashPad, students cut and stick labels to show how conventional mobile chargers and SplashPad work.

Web links

News links

New Scientist

iThis is an article announcing the proposed new device and giving some of the technical details

SplashPower

This is the web site of the company planning to produce the mats

HowStuffWorks

This explains how an electric toothbrush works – the science involved is very similar to that of SplashPad

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