Student Misconceptions
“Batteries create electricity.”
Students may assume that the batteries themselves create electricity, and that this is where all electricity comes from. Through this experiment students will have the opportunity to understand that a battery contains stored chemical energy, which is released when a circuit is closed and a chemical reaction occurs.
“Batteries are things with electric ‘juice’ in them.”
The term, ‘turn on the juice’, may be a source of misconception for students. They may think that a battery is filled with electric ‘juice’ that when turned on, flows into the device and makes it go. Through this experiment we will explain to the students that electric current is not a physical thing, but it is a process.
“Electric devices that run on batteries cannot run without batteries in them.”
Students may not understand that there are many ways of creating electricity and that there are many different ways of constructing a ‘battery’. This experiment will show students multiple ways of constructing a ‘battery’.
“I, (the student), cannot make a battery.”
Students may not believe that they are able to construct something that works as a battery themselves. They will do this through this experiment.
“Only one wire is required for things to work.”
Often students do not understand that the energy must flow in and out. They might have this misconception because often only one wire is required to make things work in their home, (ie, a cord you use to plug a lamp in.) What they do not see is that there are multiple wires housed in one. This experiment will allow students to play with the wires and disprove that misconception.
Students in our two groups from January 29, 2013, had interesting ideas about what is in a battery:
"Copper, zinc, vinegar and stuff."
"Copper, metal and stuff."
"Acid, graphite, zinc."
"Stuff."
"Electric wires."
"A powder that I wouldn't recognize when I saw it."
"Gun powder."
Students may assume that the batteries themselves create electricity, and that this is where all electricity comes from. Through this experiment students will have the opportunity to understand that a battery contains stored chemical energy, which is released when a circuit is closed and a chemical reaction occurs.
“Batteries are things with electric ‘juice’ in them.”
The term, ‘turn on the juice’, may be a source of misconception for students. They may think that a battery is filled with electric ‘juice’ that when turned on, flows into the device and makes it go. Through this experiment we will explain to the students that electric current is not a physical thing, but it is a process.
“Electric devices that run on batteries cannot run without batteries in them.”
Students may not understand that there are many ways of creating electricity and that there are many different ways of constructing a ‘battery’. This experiment will show students multiple ways of constructing a ‘battery’.
“I, (the student), cannot make a battery.”
Students may not believe that they are able to construct something that works as a battery themselves. They will do this through this experiment.
“Only one wire is required for things to work.”
Often students do not understand that the energy must flow in and out. They might have this misconception because often only one wire is required to make things work in their home, (ie, a cord you use to plug a lamp in.) What they do not see is that there are multiple wires housed in one. This experiment will allow students to play with the wires and disprove that misconception.
Students in our two groups from January 29, 2013, had interesting ideas about what is in a battery:
"Copper, zinc, vinegar and stuff."
"Copper, metal and stuff."
"Acid, graphite, zinc."
"Stuff."
"Electric wires."
"A powder that I wouldn't recognize when I saw it."
"Gun powder."