PHET Interactive Simulations: Battery Resistor Circuit

Topics

Resistor
Voltage
Batteries
Electrons

Description

Look inside a resistor to see how it works. Increase the battery voltage to make more electrons flow though the resistor. Increase the resistance to block the flow of electrons. Watch the current and resistor temperature change.

Sample Learning Goals

Are the blue spheres moving through the circuit positive or negative charges? How can you tell?
What happens when you increase the resistance of the resistor? How does the current through the circuit, the speed of the blue spheres, the voltage across the battery, the temperature of the resistor, and the green particles in the resistor change? Why (or why not) does each of these change as they do?
What happens when you increase the voltage across the battery? How does the current through the circuit, the speed ofthe blue spheres, the resistance of the resistor, the temperature of the resistor, and the green particles in the resistor change? Why (or why not) does each of these change as they do?