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Listed under:  Science  >  Forces and energy  >  Fundamental forces  >  Electromagnetism  >  Electricity
Interactive

Magnetism and Electric Current

Students use this resource consisting of nine slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand that wires carrying an electric current produce a magnetic field and that a current in a coil produces a magnetic field pattern similar to a bar magnet. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Video

Earthshine

This six and a half minute video segment from Catalyst explains Earthshine as light from our own Earth reflected back from the Moon's dark side. A PhD student is studying it to learn about how light reflects from a planet that contains liquid water as well as land. Her work may one day lead to the discovery of other planets ...

Interactive

Series and Parallel Circuits

Students use this resource consisting of three slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand how to the arrangement of bulbs in series and parallel circuits and understand the differences between them. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Video

Solar Prints

This 6 minute video segment from Catalyst is an excellent introduction to the science behind photovoltaics. A useful comparison of the efficiency of energy conversion. Discussion of other issues considered in producing devices to use renewable energy to make electricity.

Online

Activity: don't waste energy poster

This is a web resource about conserving energy that provides a student activity accompanied by a teacher guide. The activity requires students to create a poster based on an energy saving tip. A student worksheet provides activity instructions, including a list of energy saving tips. The teacher guide suggests the posters ...

Online

Activity: evaluating energy saving technology

This is a web resource that provides a student activity involving evaluating technologies that can reduce the use of non-renewable energy resources, accompanied by a teacher guide. The activity requires students to research and evaluate a particular technology such as solar panels or wind turbines and produce a diagram ...

Video

How do prisms create rainbows?

Zoom inside a glass prism and see why glass makes light bend, and how the glass molecules make different colours of light bend different amounts.

Video

How does the retina work?

When electrons in your retina absorb photons of light they don't emit light, they cause a molecule to change shape - and that lets you see colour!

Interactive

Oresome world

This interactive resource takes students on a journey of discovery in the energy and mining world. Oresome world contains five games or modules: Coal, Energy, Gas, Low emissions and Mining, and within each of these there are several facilities to explore, such as the Underground mining site, Hydroelectric power station, ...

Video

Meet the BFFs: Four fundamental forces

We all know something about gravity, but what about the other fundamental forces of physics? Explore the properties of two familiar forces experienced in daily life, and of two less familiar ones. How do they interact, and what keeps everything from falling apart? This video was Kate Dent's entry into the 2013 Sleek Geeks ...

Video

Colourful Weather, Ep 1: What shape is a rainbow?

All you need is water, the sky and sunlight and you’ve got something that’s colourful – with a pot of gold at each end. What is it? A rainbow! Find out what happens to sunlight inside a raindrop, why rainbow colours are always in the same order and the real shape of a rainbow. Tip: it’s not an arch!

Video

Sciencey: Five things you should know about renewable energy

Check out how we make electricity, the different renewable energy sources we have developed and how batteries work. Then, find out about hydro-electricity and why Australia could one day be the world’s biggest exporter of renewable energy. Lastly, discover virtual power plants. Why is it important to focus on renewable ...

Interactive

Series circuits

In this resource, students will use a simulation to build a series circuit with batteries, light bulbs, resistors, and switches. From their experimentation, students will understand how different components affect the circuit, and explore the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance.

Interactive

Thermal comfort – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This thermal comfort learning resource will guide students through an extended school based investigation. Students will develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and reflect on their success and their learning.

Online

Climate change – creating critical thinkers … not sceptics!

Climate change was once just part of the science domain, but today it is a political juggernaut! This unit explores the science of climate change as a scientific concept and a political issue. The unit includes PDF resources and video quiz challenges for teachers and student and the library section provides extra resources ...

Image

Using a pedal wireless transmitter

This is a photograph, possibly taken by John Flynn (1880-1951) and measuring 8.2 cm x 8.2 cm, of an elderly woman seated at a pedal wireless transmitter with three girls behind her. There is no microphone but the woman is operating a morse key. The woman and one of the girls are wearing earphones. The words 'AIM Pedal Transmitter' ...

Interactive

Seeing with sound: sound lab tour

Explore how sound travels as a wave. Examine diagrams and simulations to answer a series of questions about sound properties. For example, identify the effects of compression waves on the vibration speed of particles. Test the effects of changing wave properties: frequency, wavelength and amplitude. Transmit sounds in a ...

Interactive

Energy chains: make electricity

Build up to six energy chains that make electricity. Select from different energy sources and choose energy converters to match. Examine the type of energy change that happens in each converter. Arrange the converters into the correct chain so that the energy can be delivered as electricity. For example, construct a chain ...

Interactive

Energy chains: energy use

Select energy sources and energy converters to build energy chains to power appliances and vehicles. Examine how each energy converter in a chain loses some energy and reduces the energy available for use. For example, show that using a solar panel and an electric motor to drive a car delivers only 16% of the original ...

Online

Primary science: authentic contexts

These seven learning activities, which focus on 'authentic contexts' using a variety of tools (software) and devices (hardware), illustrate the ways in which content, pedagogy and technology can be successfully and effectively integrated in order to promote learning. In the activities, teachers engage their students' interests, ...