One of the hottest science fair project genres today is electricity science fair projects. These projects address both the basic scientific concepts related to electricity, as well as the application of these concepts to modern problems. However, one of my main concerns when working with kids and electricity is safety. There are a lot of things that can go wrong which will turn a fun project into an accident.
There are several precautions that I like to take when running electricity experiments. First of all the experiment areas has to be clear of clutter. I make sure that combustable materials like paper, fabric, plant fibers and flammable liquids are no where near the experiment table. Next I make sure that materials that can conduct electricity are cleared from the area as well. This include metal jewelry, metal snaps and extra materials used for the experiment. My final safety strategy is to make sure that the kids are standing on a rubber mat. This provides a safe ground incase voltage strays.
Another safety tip that I can offer is student briefing. Before the experiment begins it is a good idea to explain to the child what electricity is and how it can be both beneficial and dangerous. Then the experiment needs to be explained in detail and safety instructions gone over. With these simple safety tips, parents and teachers can ensure that electricity science projects remain fun and educational, instead of a tragic lesson.
Electricity science fair projects are a great way to explore science concepts and to develop science fair project ideas. Gain access to the latest information on science fairs by visiting Super Science Fair Projects now!
yes, safety is the most important thing when conducting experiments.
what about wearing rubber gloves? wouldn’t it prevent electric shock?
If a student is working with electricity it is impairitive for their be a parent present, unless the student is in colloge.
An certified and licensed electrical technician must always be present and supervising. Bottom line is children shouldn’t be allowed to handle or be near anything over standard 120V AC – DC power is the dangerous one.
Thank you, that is very usefull information.
I would imagine the safety standards have to be tough with all the jewelry kids are wearing nowadays. And it’s not just rings and watches. Look at all the piercing these kids have. They’re walking lightning rods!
I truly remember, I suffered from an electric shock when I was at an age of twelve. I was inserting the plug, but, forgot to see that there was a cut on the wire. So, I also think that safety should be the first priority while dealing with electrical appliances.
Electricity makes for a more exciting display . Make sure you fuse the project. Maybe provide a simple toggle switch to apply voltage.Done correctly – it safe.
An certified and licensed electrical technician must always be present and supervising. Bottom line is children shouldn’t be allowed to handle or be near anything over standard 120V AC – DC power is the dangerous one.