To help others understand electricity better, draw a water system on an electric circuit board paralleling the circuit. For the battery show a water tank, pipes instead of wires, faucets instead of switches. Somewhere on the board paste a comparison of electrical terms with terms used in describing water, such as the following: Wire equals Pipe Volts equal Pressure Amperes equal Rate of Flow - gallons per second Watts equal Pressure times Rate of Flow Switch equals Faucet Current equals Flowing Water Show how to figure the wattage that a circuit protected by a 15 ampere fuse can handle. Do it with actual things or cut-out pictures of light bulbs, irons, toasters, coffee-makers, etc. You know that Amperes times Volts equal Watts. If the voltage is 115, a 15 amp circuit can handle 115 volts times 15 amps, or 1725 watts. The name plates on electric motors indicate the amperage at full load. You can convert this to watts, of course, by multiplying amperage by the line voltage. Motors require an additional amount of electricity when they start. You need to allow for this fact, so fuses will not blow or circuits trip when a motor is turned on. You will learn more about this when you study electric motors. For More Information Your leader has many other sources of information about electricity and demonstrations you can perform. Ask him. Also, libraries have many books about electricity and its history, which are very interesting and useful. Maybe you can find an electrician, someone from your power supplier, or an equipment dealer who will talk to your club on electricity or electrical safety. What Did You Learn? (Underline the correct answers then discuss in the group.) 1. In a water pipe system water flows. In an electrical circuit (electrons) (atoms) (charges) flow. 2. Electricity or electrons flow (easier) (harder) (about the same) in a conductor than in an insulator. 3. Rubber is a good (conductor) (insulator) (ground). 4. The most common material used as an electrical conductor is (glass) (silver) (copper). 5. The unit of electrical pressure or push is the (ampere) (volt) (watt). 6. The rate of flow of electricity is measured in (gallons) (amperes per minute) (amperes). 7. Volts times amperes equals (watts) (kilowatt hours) (alternating current). 8. A dry cell battery (stores) (makes) (uses) electrical energy. 9. In a parallel circuit the electricity has (one) (two or more) (no) paths to travel. 10. In a series circuit with two bulbs and a switch the bulbs are (brighter) (dimmer) (the same) as when they were in the parallel circuit. LESSON NO. B-2 Credit Points 4 TOOLS FOR ELECTRICIANS Who goeth a borrowing Goeth a sorrowing Few lend (but fools) Their working tools Tusser 1524-1580 Whenever a job comes up, it saves time and trouble when you have the right tools and they are all where you can find them. Electrical work takes some special tools and some everyday tools.