Q4 Final DIY Project

Project Report

Thanatorn Kunakornkul 6361068

Sirawit Nakapong 6361103

Jitanad Nisamaneerat 6361270

Varit Suriyasomboon 6361089

General Physics 11

Mr. Emad Kirmani

3 June 2022
Introduction

Current is defined fundamentally as the movement of electrons within a material

(Admin, 2021). Electrons are minute particles that make up a material's molecular structure.

Often these electrons are bound firmly within the molecules, while other times, they are held

loosely and are allowed to flow freely throughout the structure. Electrons are particles that

carry a negative charge . When electrons move, a quantity of their charge moves. This is

called a current (Admin, 2021). Some materials conduct electricity more efficiently than

others. As many electrons flow in one direction as in another, there is no net transfer of

charge because of the random nature of the free electrons' mobility.

When a force exerted on electrons causes them to migrate in a certain direction, they

will all drift in the same direction. Electromotive force, or EMF, is the force that acts on

electrons; its magnitude, measured in volts, is voltage (Electronicsnotes, n.d.). The amount of

mobile electrons in a material determines its ability to conduct electricity. Certain substances

carry electricity better than others. Materials are classified as either conductors or insulators

based on their ability to transport electricity (Electronicsnotes, n.d.).

Conductors are objects that permit the free movement of electrons between particles.

Conductors assist the transfer of charge by allowing electrons to move freely. Current is

generated by the movement of electrons via a conducting material or conductor. Voltage is

the force required to push a current through a conductor (Admin, 2021). On the other hand,

insulators are compounds that prevent electrons from moving freely between particles. Since

the particles of the insulator restrict the free passage of electrons, the charge is rarely

distributed evenly throughout the surface of an insulator (Admin, 2021)..

A charge is carried along conductors by particles called free electrons. The direction

in which positive test charges are pushed is the definition of the electric field direction within

a circuit (Admin, 2021). As a result, these negatively charged electrons move against the
electric field. Conventional current flow is when electrons travel from the positive terminal to

the negative terminal, indicating the direction positive charges would flow. In contrast, the

electron flow is from the negative terminal to the positive. Electrons are negatively charged

and, as opposite charges attract, are drawn to the positive terminal (Electronicsnotes, n.d.).

Current flows from a higher voltage to a lower voltage in an electrical circuit. When

there are two or more electrical devices in a circuit with an energy source, they can be linked

in one of two fundamental methods, which are either in series or parallel configurations

(Admin, 2022). A series circuit occurs when the same current runs through all of the circuit's

components. In such circuits, there is just one passage for the current (sparkfun, n.d.).
 On the other hand, a parallel circuit describes a circuit in which the electric current

has numerous channels to pass. The parallel circuit components will have a constant voltage

over their whole length (sparkfun, n.d.). In contrast to series components, which all have

identical currents flowing through them, parallel components all have the same voltage drop

across them.

The major difference between a series and a parallel circuit is the amount of current

that flows through each of the components in the circuit. In a series circuit, the same amount

of current flows through all the components placed in it. In contrast, in parallel circuits, the

components are placed in parallel with each other due to which the circuit splits the current

flow (Admin, 2022). The current flowing from the source will be divided into the current

flowing through each of these components. The third type of circuit employs both series and

parallel connections; such circuits are referred to as compound circuits or combination

circuits (The Physics Classroom, n.d.).

In this project, both series and parallel circuits will be used to make a working model

car with motors linked to its wheels. The currents that turn on the motor and light bulbs will

be supplied by batteries.
Objectives

- To understand how electric current, circuits, and devices work.

- To construct an electrical circuit and create a product or model.

- To apply knowledge about electricity on the product

Method/Approach

Materials

- Cardboard

- Aluminum Foil

- 1 Light Bulb (6-9 V)

- Electrical Wires

- 4 AA Batteries (1.5 V each)

- 1 Switch

- 2 Motors (6-9 V)

- 5 LED light bulb (3-6 V)

- Black Paper

- Black Acryllic Paint

- Plastic Sheet

- Chopstick

- Straw

Tools

- Blade Cutter

- Scissor

- Ruler

- Hot Glue
- Super Glue

- Tape

- Electric Tape

- Soldering Iron

- Lead Solder
Procedure

First, we planned the dimensions of the vehicle. We decided to do a model of a Tesla

Cybertruck. Next, we created a base from cardboard and planted two of the motors in the

front. The battery is then placed in the back. Then, we wire the batteries and the two motors

together and switch them in a series circuit. Then we wire the battery and the same switch to

the front light bulb in a series circuit. We created the backside of a car with 5 LED light bulbs

on its back in a parallel circuit. We connect it with the battery and the same switch in a series

circuit. As a result, the entire circuit is in parallel.

We started by making the shell of a car using cardboard wrapped with aluminum foil.

The front bumper has an opening to let light pass through. Then, we created a wheel using

hot glue, cardboard, and electric tape. The back wheel needs a chopstick as a wheel axle. The

last step is to decorate the vehicle with black paper and painted cardboard.

Proof of Work

Rough Draft

Finalized Idea
* In the back it has 5 LED lights arranged in a parallel circuit
Result

When the switch was activated, the motors attached to the front wheels operated

normally, indicating that the circuit was functional. However, the automobile failed to move

when placed on the floor and the ignition was turned on. Observations revealed that the front

LED lights were operational, however not all rear lights were working. When the switch was

activated, just one of the five light bulbs functioned.

Discussion

There are a total of five LED light bulbs for the taillight, but the majority of the time,

just one of them illuminates. This could be because the battery voltage is insufficient to

power all of the light bulbs. Additionally, the vehicle's front headlight bulb has burned out.

Perhaps there is an excessive amount of voltage traveling through the current, causing it to

malfunction. In addition, the front wheel of the vehicle is not running at full capacity. This

might be due to a manufacturing fault that resulted in the off-centering of the wheel axle.

This makes the wheel turn less smoothly making the automobile more difficult to maneuver.

In addition, there are a few little irregularities surrounding one of the wheels, which makes it

more difficult for the model to remain stable on the ground. In addition to the arrangement of

the circuit and materials, such as the placement of the packs of batteries in the rear and the

two motors in the front, the car's mass may also contribute to its difficulty in moving.
Conclusion

Despite the fact that the experiment's outcomes and the operation of the model car did not

proceed as anticipated, the product was able to demonstrate our understanding and application of

series and parallel circuits. The car’s movement was not smooth due to an error when making the

wheels. Also, some of the light bulbs did not function as planned. The reason ws unknown, but it is

speculated that it was caused by either the circuit having too much current or too not enough

current. Working on the model automobile has demonstrated our collaboration and problem-solving

abilities as a team, as well as our ability to apply what we have learned in class to a real-world

product.

References

Admin. (2021, December 17). What is electric current: Definition, types, properties, effects, video

and faqs. BYJUS. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://byjus.com/physics/electric-current/

Admin. (2022, May 13). Difference between series and parallel circuits with its practical

applications in real life. BYJUS. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from

https://byjus.com/physics/difference-between-series-and-parallel-circuits/#:~:text=In%20a

%20series%20circuit%2C%20the,circuit%20splits%20the%20current%20flow.

Notes, E. (n.d.). What is electric current: The basics. Electronics Notes. Retrieved June 1, 2022,

from

https://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/basic_concepts/current/what-is-electrical-current

.php

Physics tutorial: Combination circuits. The Physics Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2022,

from https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/circuits/Lesson-4/Combination-Circuits
Series and Parallel Circuits. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2022, from

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/series-and-parallel-circuits/all
Timeline/Worklog

Name Date Accomplishments

Everyone 10/May/2022 Start to do project ideas proposal

Everyone 11/May/2022 Complete and sent project ideas proposal

Good 13 - 15/May/2022 Do and finish the car model

Riew 26/May/2022 Complete objective of the project part and help fix

Tesla car

Ken 26/May/2022 Research information for introduction

Riew 27/May/2022 Add in the picture and explain result and discussion

part to others

Ken 27/May/2022 Work on introduction

Riew 30/May/2022 Add in the picture for materials and write planning

section

Ken 30/May/2022 Continue working on introduction

Ken 31/May/2022 Add in-text citations to introduction.

Add cover page for report

Riew 31/May/2022 Help with the result and discussion

Ken 1/June/2022 Finish working on introduction

Work on conclusion
Ken 2/June/2022 Work on results and discussion

Riew 2/June/2022 Work on discussion and help on the result section