Assignment:
1. A polyester fleece sweater in a clothes dryer will acquire a static charge in the hot, dry environment of the dryer. When you reach into the dryer to get the garment, it is common to feel the hairs on your arms standing up. It would not be unusual to take a fleece sweater out of the dryer and find a sock stuck to it. There may be a crackling noise when the sock is pulled off. Explain these effects.
2. What does the voltage of a battery measure? Why would high voltage batteries be neccessary in some situations?
3. What is a short circuit? Why is a short circuit dangerous?
4. During a lightning storm, it is safest to stand in the middle of a field, rather than taking shelter under a tree. Many deaths caused by lightning relate to this. Why is this the case?
5. How can an electric current cause a magnetic field? Describe how some common device that uses this principle to accomplish something useful.
6. Using general terms, explain how a DC motor works.
7. How does a transformer work? What does it do to an electrical current?
8. Explain the difference between series and parallel circuits. Power plugs in your home connect different devices in parallel: why is this important?