12 volt Car Battery, Thin Soft Wire

 

Code Number: 5F15.33

Demo Title: Fuse Wire

Condition: Good

Principle: Household Electrical Measurement and Protectors

Area of Study: Electricity & Magnetism

Equipment: 

12 volt Car Battery, Thin Soft Wire (Fuse Wire) or Tin Foil.

Procedure:

A demonstration of a fuse is to take a length of the soft wire that is available and short directly across the 12 volt car battery. The wire will heat to a glowing red before it melts breaking the circuit.

NOTE: The wire should be bent so that when it melts it does not fall on the instructors hands.

References:

  • Serge Florens, "Investigating SWG Values", TPT, Vol. 51, # 4, April 2013, p. 198.
  • William Layton, "The Fuse-Wires-in-Parallel Problem", TPT, Vol. 51, # 1, Jan. 2013, p. 38.
  • Tik Liem, "The Aluminum Foil Fuse", Investigation to Science Inquiry, p. 256.
  • Tik Liem, "The Balloon Fuse", Investigation to Science Inquiry, p. 257.
  • "Short Circuit", Exploratorium Science Snackbook, p. 86.1 - 86.2.
  • "Cool Hot Rod: Short Circuit", Exploratorium Science Snackbook, p. 89.
  • Ron Hipschman, "Short Circuit", Exploratorium Cookbook III, p. 151.1 - 151.4.
  • Grant Mellor, "Blowing a Fuse", Flying Tinsel, 1993, p. 88-90.
  • Rudolf F. Graf, "Electricity Can Produce Heat and Light", Safe and Simple Electrical Experiments, p. 79.
  • Rudolf F. Graf, "Let's Make a Fuse", Safe and Simple Electrical Experiments, p. 85.
5F15.33 - Fuse Wire