To run a light bulb off a battery, you need to create a simple electrical circuit connecting the battery and the light bulb using wires.
Running a small light bulb from a battery involves creating a closed loop, or circuit, that allows electricity to flow from the battery, through the bulb, and back to the battery. Here are the basic materials you'll need and the steps to connect them:
Materials Required
- A battery (e.g., AA, D-cell)
- A small light bulb that matches the battery's voltage (often called a "flashlight bulb")
- Two pieces of insulated wire
- Tape
Connection Steps
The key is to connect the positive and negative terminals of the battery to the correct parts of the light bulb, typically the base and the contact point at the very bottom. Here's how to do it using the reference instructions:
- Connect the Negative Terminal:
- Tape one end of one wire to the bottom, or negative, terminal of the battery.
- Tape the other end of the wire to the side of the light bulb stem [source: Energy Kids]. This connects one side of the circuit.
- Connect the Positive Terminal:
- Tape one end of the other wire to the top, or positive, terminal of the battery.
- Tape the other end of the wire to the bottom of the light bulb stem. This completes the circuit.
Once both wires are securely connected from the battery terminals to the corresponding parts of the light bulb stem, the circuit is complete, and electricity can flow, causing the light bulb to illuminate. The stem of a light bulb typically has two contact points: the threaded base (or side of the stem on some small bulbs) and the small metal tip at the very bottom. Both need to be connected to the circuit.
This method forms a series circuit, the simplest way to power a light bulb directly from a battery.
