Science of Technology

Crack the Circuit (Lesson 1) showed a variety of circuits with light bulbs connected differently. The terms “series” and “parallel” are useful terms to describe different arrangements of light bulbs.

• Sometimes, lights are connected in a way that, when one is disconnected, all of them go out (like a string of holiday lights).
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• * (Fairy lights or Christmas lights on dark background by Zamurovic Brothers from https://thenounproject.com/photo/fairy-lights-or-christmas-lights-on-dark-background-4dq9db/ (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
• Other times, lights are connected in a way that one can burn out without affecting the others (like a vanity over a bathroom sink.
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• * (Source: https://www.lowes.com/pd/KAWOTI-30-in-4-Light-Black-Led-Modern-Vanity-Light/5014234775)

Light switches often control only one light (or set of lights), but sometimes multiple switches control a single set of lights. The document linked below guides students through the difference between a series and a parallel set of switches, and shows that “three-way” switches are not exactly parallel or series!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UPvalRJlQc-4tEr34dbi5OyMfMa-NAXrYqMNG9HnpQE/edit?usp=sharing