Human Generator
The Demonstration: Students turn a crank to generate electricity and light up a bulb.
The Physics:
The human generator is very similar to an emergency generator you may
have at your home or school. In order to make electrons move through a
circuit, they must receive a push. This usually comes from a battery or
electrical socket. But when the lights go out, we need another way to
generate electricity. When you turn the crank, you are turning a
magnet and causing a magnetic field to spin around. The changing
magnetic field pushes the electrons around and creates a current in the
wires. The human generator is kind of like the opposite of an
electromagnet, which uses electricity to make a magnet; the generator
uses a magnet to create electricity. As you turn the crank, you are
turning a magnet that pushes on the electrons. An emergency generator
also has an electromagnet that spins to create electricity. Electricity
can also be generated from other forms of motion such as windmills and
hydroelectric plants.
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Page Updated 8/29/07