Full instructions are given for set-up and data recording in this introductory lab designed for "first-time" circuit builders.  This lesson includes a set of follow-up questions to assess comprehension.  (Open Website)

It may be easier to understand about electricity if we think of electric charge as a sort of a fluid, like water, as scientists did for over 200 years.  (Open Website)

This item is a lesson plan featuring the neon bulb, an object that can be lighted either by electric current or by static electricity.  Accompanied by detailed background information, this lesson promotes conceptual understanding of  electron transfer.  (Open Website)

This applet simulates the transient behavior that occurs when a capacitor is being charged and discharged. Students can change the magnitudes of the resistance, capacitance, and the voltage of the battery, as well as flip a switch between its two positions.  The applet then graphs both voltage and current in the circuit as functions of time.  (Open Website)

One way to charge an object is through the process of induction, in which a charged object is brought near, but not touched to, a neutral conducting object.  This animation does a nice job of depicting the induction process, accompanied by text written for the beginner.  (Open Website)

This is a simple simulation appropriate for physical science or beginning physics, but which could be extended for more complex exploration.  It shows five moveable charges and their attractive/repelling interactions.  Students figure out whether the charges are negative or positive and relative sizes of each.  (Open Website)

This collection of 41 interactive java tutorials would be an excellent choice to connect physics to "real-world" applications.  Designed by well-respected authors, the topics range from simulated magnetic fields and field lines to primers on capacitance, resistance, Ohm's Law, and electromagnetic induction.  Included are simulations on how things work, such as vacuum tube diodes, cathode rays,  capacitors, AC/DC generators, hard drives, pulsed magnets, and speakers.  (Open Website)

This chapter of an introductory physics textbook provides content support on electrostatics, electric field and potential, current electricity, magnetic field and force, and electromagnetic phenomena.  The author, a veteran professor of physics, has summarized his own notes from "lectures that worked" and blended them with calculus-based practice problems with solutions.  (Open Website)

This item contains full instructions for a lab exploring the properties of series and parallel circuits.  The lesson plan includes materials needed, procedures for the students to follow, expected results, and a brief discussion of the physical concepts involved.  (Open Website)

This one-day lab is a great way for students to investigate factors causing short circuits.  Reproducible prediction charts help students learn by gauging their preconceived ideas against observed outcomes in the lab.  Materials are readily accessible and inexpensive to obtain.  (Open Website)

This high-quality interactive simulation is a good choice for beginning high school physics or physical science.  Students build a virtual DC circuit, using the mouse to attach wires, batteries, switches, and resistors.  This particular simulation has received excellent reviews in extensive field testing, especially when done in conjunction with a hands-on lab.  (Open Website)

This applet simulates the behavior of a simple RLC circuit with an AC voltage source.  (Open Website)

For the novice with little prior experience in circuit construction, this item offers well-organized step-by-step directions for setting up series and parallel circuit labs.  (Scroll to bottom for cost-free materials.)  (Open Website)

This item offers guided practice to students in designing a variety of circuits, with pop-up explanations to augment simulated images.  (Open Website)

This applet simulates the transient behavior of a simple RC circuit.  Students can change the magnitudes of the resistance, capacitance, and the voltage of the battery, as well as flip a switch between its two positions.  The applet then graphs both voltage and current in the circuit as functions of time.  (Open Website)

This page offers detailed background information on 15 different types of batteries.   The author discusses the historical background of each battery, augmented with cross-sectional images and full explanations of how the batteries function.  (Open Website)

It may be easier to understand about electricity if we think of electric charge as a sort of a fluid, like water, as scientists did for over 200 years.  (Open Website)

This item is an educator's guide featuring easily-understood content support in fundamentals of electricity, electrostatic charge, circuit basics, conductors, and insulators.  Labs and assessments are also included.  (Open Website)

This item is a unit of study on electric circuits for beginning high school physics.  Especially noteworthy are the detailed labs that encourage the process of inquiry and promote critical thinking. Other included resources are numerical problems, puzzles, reference materials, and practice test questions/answers.  (Open Website)

This is a research article investigating high school and college students'  understanding of how DC circuits work.  The analysis indicates that students, especially females, tend to hold multiple misconceptions, even after instruction.  The main source of misconception, as reported by the article, is with confusion about the underlying mechanism of electric circuits and the meaning of "current".  (Open Website)

This item is a concise explanation for beginning physics students on how batteries work.  It includes a brief history of the battery, the roles of Galvani and Volta in developing an early battery, and diagrams to explain how current flows in a battery.  (Open Website)

This is a simple simulation appropriate for beginning students, but could be extended for more complex exploration.  It shows five moveable charges and their attractive/repelling interactions.  The task is to figure out relative sign and size of the charges.  More advanced students can explore the Coulomb force vectors on each charge.  (Open Website)

Coulomb's Law is used to calculate the electric force between charges.  To help students grasp the underlying concepts, this simulation lets them drag a moveable charge to see the connection between the force vector and proximity to the fixed charge.  (Open Website)

It may be easier to understand about electricity if we think of electric charge as a sort of a fluid, like water, as scientists did for over 200 years.  (Open Website)

In this activity from the PTRA manual "Role of the Laboratory in Teaching Introductory Physics", students set up their first circuit using meters and specially made resistors in heat sink boxes, which do not require alligator clips and don't burn hands.  (Open Website)

This java simulation demonstrates the relationship among current, voltage, and resistance.  Students adjust resistance and voltage up or down in a simple circuit and watch the results on a simulated ammeter.  (Open Website)

As students adjust current flow in this Java simulation, the resulting changes are represented on both a macro and nanoscale.   This activity helps the beginner understand how electron collision causes resistance.  Try teaming this simulation with the one above on Ohm's Law.  (Open Website)

This page is a comprehensive tutorial on resistance, accompanied by three interactive simulations.  One allows students to glimpse resistance at a molecular level; the second explores Ohm's Law; and the third introduces the use of color coding in composition resistors.  (Open Website)

This page offers detailed background information on 15 different types of batteries.   The author discusses the historical background of each battery, augmented with cross-sectional images and full explanations of how the batteries function.  (Open Website)

This item is a concise explanation for beginning physics students on how batteries work.  It includes a brief history of the battery, the roles of Galvani and Volta in developing an early battery, and diagrams to explain how current flows in a battery.  (Open Website)