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How is electricity generated?

Video: Generating electricity

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A two-minute video showing how to generate electricity by spinning a magnet in a coil of wire.

Question

What bathroom appliance have scientists discovered can generate electricity?

Practical experiment - Generate electricity

Follow this step-by-step slideshow.

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WHAT YOU NEED: stationery to make a small box, cardboard, insulated wire, wire cutters and sandpaper, an LED bulb and strong ceramic bar magnets.
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STEP 1 - MAKE BOX: Cut and fold the box...
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...then secure it with sticky tape.
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STEP 2 - PUSH NAIL: Carefully make a hole and push the nail through the middle of the box and out through the other side.
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STEP 3 - WRAP WIRE: Put a pen through the spool of copper wire to help you unspool it...
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...and wrap the wire at least 250 times around either side of the nail.
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STEP 4 - CONNECT LED: Cut the wire to leave two loose ends. Using the sandpaper, scrape away the insulation on the last few centimetres of the wire, then tightly wrap each end around a leg on the LED bulb.
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STEP 5 - ADD MAGNETS: Attach the magnets either side of the nail, making sure they spin freely like a wheel.
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STEP 6 - SPIN TO LIGHT: Spin the magnets as quickly as you can and you’ll see the bulb light up. The moving magnetic field from the spinning magnets induces a current in the coil of wire. You have made your own electricity generator!

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