Elenco Snap Circuits Motion - Manual (Page 63)

Project 122 Generator
Build the circuit shown, and mount the 2.55” gear
on the geared motor (GM). GENTLY spin the gear
with your hand in both directions while watching
the red/yellow bicolor LED (D10). The adjustable
resistor (RV2) controls the LED brightness, set it
towards the 2-snap wire for brightest. Do not try to
spin the gear with too much force or you may
break the geared motor.
Project 123
Leverage
Use the preceding circuit but replace the 2.55” with one
of the others. Be GENTLE when turning the gear or you
may break the geared motor (GM). Compare how much
easier or harder it is to turn and light the LED.
Project 124
Generator Load
Build this circuit, and mount the 2.55” gear on
the geared motor (GM). GENTLY spin the gear
with your hand with the slide switch (S1) both
on and off. Compare how difficult it is to turn
whether the switch is on or off. You can also
try this with different gears. Do not try to spin
the gear with too much force or you may break
the geared motor.
You may notice air flowing in or out of the air
fountain (AF), but otherwise it won’t do
anything. It is not necessary or recommended
to place the spout or ball on the air fountain.
-62-
Normally, the geared motor uses electricity to create
mechanical motion. This circuit uses the geared motor
in reverse, to use mechanical motion (from you spinning
the shaft) to create electricity (to light the LED).
Nearly all of the electricity used in our world is produced
at enormous generators driven by steam or water
pressure. Wires are used to efficiently transport this
energy to homes and businesses where it is used.
Motors convert the electricity back into mechanical form
to drive machinery and appliances.
The larger the gear, the easier it is to turn the shaft and
light the LED. The size of the gear amplifies your power
to turn the shaft.
Compare this to using a wrench to tighten or loosen a
nut on a bolt. The wrench gives you leverage, increasing
your turning power.
It should be more difficult to spin the gear when the switch is on,
because the air fountain is acting as a heavy electrical “load” or
burden on the geared motor. Powering the air fountain takes more
energy than powering nothing (such as when the switch is off) or
powering an LED (like in the preceding circuits).
SCM-165_Manual_061114.qxp_Layout 1 7/7/14 11:29 AM Page 63