Learn Resistance! for Kids

Instructions: For this project, we’re going to create a very simple circuit consisting of a battery, some wires, an LED, and any household object to be used as a resistor. In this activity, students will learn a very basic understanding of electricity and resistance and have fun playing with LED’s. For kids 3+ with parent supervision.

Caution: Bigger and stronger batteries can cause injury, electrocution, or fire. Please be safe and mindful, please supervise participants.

- 1 Battery (Any size)

- LED’s (Extras if you burnout LED’s)

- Any type of wire

- Tape

- Household Objects to act as resistors

• #2 Pencil
• Potato
• Resistor
• Empty can

The most basic circuit can be created by connecting a battery to a LED with wires but without a resistor, the LED can burn out. The resistor slows down the power so that the LED doesn’t get too much power. When making the circuit start by connecting the battery to the wires making sure the positive and negative ends go to the positive and negative ends on the LED (This is important, LED’s have direction, One side with a longer leg is positive and the other one is negative). If The circuit is made correctly it should look like this picture except without the resistor. The LED should either light up or burn out depending on the size of the battery.

Next in order to save the LED from burning out we must put something in the circuit to restrict the power so that the LED has enough power to turn on but not too much to burn out the LED either. In real-world uses, we would use a resistor that has an exact amount of resistance but at home, you can use everyday objects like pencil lead.

Next, try other objects around the house. A can, a potato, anything that could have energy run through it may act like a resistor.

Conclusion Questions:

What changed when different objects were used?

Is there a pattern for what works and what doesn’t?

Does the light ever change brightness?

Advanced Experiment:

- Try changing the size of the battery

- Try changing the light source

- Find the resistance of your objects with a Multimeter