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Here is an example of a low-voltage battery being used to create some light.

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Connecting a light bulb to this battery, we have created a circuit, a path for electrons to travel on.

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Our light bulb does two things.

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It introduces some resistance into the circuit, reducing the flow of electrons so that the copper wires won't get hot,

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and it converts electrical energy into light energy.

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Our circuit also demonstrates a switch, a device for turning the electricity off and on.

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The switch does this by creating an opening in the circuit.

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This is an actual circuit similar to the one in the animation.

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The wires I'm using have metal alligator clips connected to their ends

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making it easy to connect. The metal in these wires is covered in plastic.

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Plastic is an electrical insulator. The current from our low voltage battery

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will not flow through the plastic but easily travels in the copper wire under

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the plastic.

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Connecting and disconnecting the wire creates a simple switch turning the

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light off and on. A wall switch does the same thing. The plastic lever and cover

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plate protect you from the high voltage used in this circuit.