Conductive Dough
Most kids’ electronic kits are cheap plastic junk. You lose one piece, and the whole thing is trash. This circuit is made of flour and salt. If they break it, you just make more.
The Shopping List:
-
Power: One 9V Battery and a “9V Snap Connector” (the little black cap with red/black wires).
-
Lights: Standard 5mm LEDs (buy a bag of 100 for $5 online).
-
Pantry: Flour, Salt, Vegetable Oil, Lemon Juice.
The Chemistry: You need two types of dough.
-
The Conductor (Red): 1 cup Water, 1.5 cups Flour, 1/4 cup Salt, 9 tbsp Lemon Juice. The salt and acid move the electrons.
-
The Insulator (White): 1.5 cups Flour, 1/2 cup Sugar, 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil, 1/2 cup Distilled Water. The sugar and oil stop the flow.
The Build:
-
Make two balls of Conductive Dough.
-
Put a “wall” of Insulator Dough between them so they don’t touch.
-
Stick the Red Wire of the 9V snap into the left ball, and the Black Wire into the right ball.
-
Span the gap with an LED. Crucial: The Long Leg (Positive) goes into the Red side. The Short Leg (Negative) goes into the Black side.
The Payoff: The dough acts as a resistor and the light glows. Now, let them sculpt. They can build glowing monsters or electric snakes. It’s the only circuit board you can clean up with a wet rag.
#rocketcity #huntsvilleelectrician #huntsville #electriciandad #kitchenscience
Leave a Reply