Elenco Snap Circuits® Home Learning - Manual (Page 39)

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Vocabulary
For Snap Circuits ® Electricity 101
Atoms - the building blocks of matter. Atoms are composed of smaller particles, neutrons with no charge,
protons with a positive charge, and electrons with a negative charge. The neutrons and protons make up the
nucleus of the atom and the electrons zip around the nucleus.
Circuit - a series of wires or electric devices that form a closed path for the flow of electricity. You are not able to
see current moving through a circuit, but you can see the effects when a bulb lights or a motor spins. A circuit
needs a source of electric energy traveling through it to operate electric devices.
Computer - an electronic device that stores, processes, and receives information in the form of ones and zeroes.
Conductors - materials such as metals with loosely held electrons in their atoms. The electrons are able to move from atom
to atom fairly easily. The flow of electrons through a conductor is called electric current. All metals are conductors. Some non-
metals such as graphite (a form of carbon) are also conductors.
Current - a measure of how fast electrical energy is flowing through a circuit.
Diode - a device which allows electric current to flow in only
one direction.
Dry cell - electrochemical cell usually made with a zinc can, a carbon rod, and a
chemical paste. A cell has a positive and negative terminal. The dry cell converts
chemical energy into electrical energy. If the terminals are connected to a wire,
direct current will flow until the chemicals are used up and the dry cell is dead.
Most people refer to dry cells as batteries.