1
00:00:00,050 --> 00:00:06,230
To use electricity, we need to find a way to safely contain and control this flow of charged particles.

2
00:00:07,150 --> 00:00:09,070
That is what a battery cell does.

3
00:00:09,609 --> 00:00:16,030
A battery is a chemical device capable of converting stored chemical energy into electrical energy.

4
00:00:17,329 --> 00:00:21,510
As you know, batteries have two terminals or ends labeled plus and minus.

5
00:00:22,469 --> 00:00:26,429
This reflects the negative and positive charges on electrons and protons.

6
00:00:26,429 --> 00:00:36,149
The chemistry of a battery creates a force that moves electrons out of the metal plate on the negative end

7
00:00:36,149 --> 00:00:39,149
and attracts them to the metal bump on the positive end.

8
00:00:40,469 --> 00:00:46,429
Electrons will start to move from minus to plus if the right kind of material is connected to the battery.

9
00:00:48,270 --> 00:00:52,630
Materials that allow electricity to travel through them are called conductors.

10
00:00:53,710 --> 00:00:56,149
Most metals are good conductors of electricity.

11
00:00:56,149 --> 00:01:02,659
Copper is the most common metal used in wires.

12
00:01:02,659 --> 00:01:07,659
In this animation, a conductor is connected to each terminal of a battery.

13
00:01:07,659 --> 00:01:13,659
Electrons start to move, traveling from the negative terminal towards the positive terminal.

14
00:01:13,659 --> 00:01:15,659
This is electricity.

15
00:01:15,659 --> 00:01:21,969
The electrons actually move from atom to atom as they travel through the conductor.

16
00:01:21,969 --> 00:01:23,969
This is a safety warning.

17
00:01:23,969 --> 00:01:27,969
Never connect a short metal wire between the terminals of a battery.

18
00:01:27,969 --> 00:01:35,629
This is a short circuit. The wire will get hot, you might burn yourself, and the battery will quickly lose its energy.

19
00:01:36,549 --> 00:01:38,890
Have you noticed the letter V on the side of a battery?

20
00:01:39,689 --> 00:01:45,849
This represents volts. Volts, or voltage, is a measure of the force moving the electrons.

21
00:01:47,209 --> 00:01:50,569
A AA battery is usually 1.5 volts.

22
00:01:51,489 --> 00:01:56,049
This is a low voltage, and that is why it is safe to handle a AA battery.

23
00:01:56,049 --> 00:02:03,129
Higher voltages are dangerous. Never experiment with anything that plugs into a wall outlet.

24
00:02:03,129 --> 00:02:09,250
Wall outlet voltages range from 120 volts to 240 volts. Extremely dangerous.