Step into the exciting world of electricity and discover how it is used.
Electricity is our most important energy carrier, meaning it allows us to transport energy over long distances in a highly efficient way. However, not everyone has access to the electrical grid. In those cases, solar power can be an affordable way to get light, allowing people to work and do homework even after dark—just like many villages do in India and Africa.
If the voltage is high enough, you can create a spark like the one in the "Jacob's Ladder" exhibit, where you can watch the spark climb upward between two thick wires. Can you figure out why it is called a Jacob's Ladder? Tip: Try taking a picture of it with your phone camera!
You probably know that human beings conduct electricity too. That is why we must be careful around it. But sometimes, the current is so weak that it is completely harmless. In the "The Body Conducts Electricity" exhibit, you can find out how many of your friends you can chain together before the resistance becomes too high and the current grows too weak.