Electricity and Circuits Class 6

📝 Electricity and Circuits 

Electric Cell

Electricity to the bulb in a torch is provided by the electric cell. You might have noticed that it has a small metal cap on one side and a metal disc on the other side. 

Did you notice a positive (+) sign and a negative (–) sign marked on the electric cell? The metal cap is the positive terminal of the electric cell. The metal disc is the negative terminal. All electric cells have two terminals; a positive terminal and a negative terminal.

An electric cell produces electricity from the chemicals stored inside it. When the chemicals in the electric cell are used up, the electric cell stops producing electricity.

Torch Bulb

(a) Torch bulb and (b) its inside view

A torch bulb has an outer case of glass that is fixed on a metallic base. The thin wire that gives off light is called the filament of the bulb. The filament is fixed to two thicker wires, which also provide support to it. One of these thick wires is connected to the metal case at the base of the bulb. The other thick wire is connected to the metal tip at the centre of the base. The base of the bulb and the metal tip of the base are the two terminals of the bulb. These two terminals are fixed in such a way that they do not touch each other.