Hooked on Science: Electric play dough

Using a few materials from around the house, you can use play dough to light a light bulb.

Materials

* Play dough

* Three D batteries

* Four alligator clips with wires

* Small LED bulb

Instructions

STEP 1: Using the alligator clips, connect the three D batteries.

STEP 2: Cover the two ends of alligator clips that are not connected with batteries with play dough.

STEP 3: Make sure the two pieces of play dough are not touching. Push one of the wires from the LED bulb into one of the pieces of play dough. Close the circuit by placing the other wire from the LED bulb into the other piece of play dough and observe.

Explanation

Once the last wire from the LED bulb is placed into the play dough, the bulb lights up. A closed circuit is a circuit where electrons flow in a path without any interruptions. The play dough is a good conductor, which means the electricity from the batteries flows easily through the play dough, creating a closed circuit, causing the bulb to light up. The salt in the play dough helps make the play dough a good conductor.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science.