Elenco Snap Circuits® Home Learning - Manual (Page 40)

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Electricity - moving electrons produce electric current. Electricity and magnetism are closely related. Electricity can be
produced by a moving magnet. Electricity moving through a wire creates a magnetic field around the wire. Electric current can
be direct (DC) or alternating (AC). Batteries produce direct current. The electricity in your house is alternating current.
Electromagnet - a large coil of wire, which acts like a magnet when a current flows through it. Placing an iron bar inside
increases the magnetic effects.
Electronics - the use of electrons to control, communicate or process information. An electronic signal is a varying electric
current. The parts in electronic circuits change the flow of electricity. Some slow the flow down, others speed up the flow.
Energy - Energy can change from one form to another. Electrical energy can be
changed to mechanical energy, energy of movement, when current is run through a
motor. It can be changed to heat and light when current runs through a lamp.
Insulators - materials which do not allow electric current to flow through them
under normal conditions. Examples are glass, rubber, and plastic.
Integrated circuit - a circuit that has been made on a
small semiconductor chip (silicon). It has many diodes,
transistors and resistors which are very tiny. In this kit
you have a blue music integrated circuit U1.
Lamp - In your kit a lamp is a small light bulb which screws into the lamp socket. The lamp
has a filament of wire inside which glows when an electric current flows through it.
LED - Light Emitting Diode . A diode allows electricity to flow in only one direction, and only if
the voltage exceeds a turn-on threshold. LED's have a semiconductor inside, a material which only
allows some electricity to flow. LED's only need a small amount of electricity to light up so they are put
in a circuit with a transistor. Many electronic devices use LED's as indicator lights. They are often
seen on CD players, televisions, and radios.