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Understanding batteries
in series and in parallel
The battery compartment of a flashlight or radio usually contains several batteries. In this activity we will investigate how batteries can be connected, and what is different about connecting them in series vs. in parallel.
Make
one veggie battery, and measure the voltage it produces:
V
Test the battery with a buzzer or a motor.
How
do you think you can connect batteries to get double the voltage you got in
step 1? Draw a picture. You may use either a picture or the symbol to represent
the battery.
Try it. Describe what happens
Describe your circuit in words. Here is how you could start the sentence:
I connected the copper
rod of the first battery to
Test your group of batteries
with the buzzer or the motor. What was different from using just one battery?
NOTE: Variations of step 2 conclude this activity