5L10.10 AC/DC Difference With Light Bulbs

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the impedence of AC circuits.

DESCRIPTION: The difference between AC and DC -- that there is a difference -- can be shown by plunging an iron pipe into a long coil carrying first DC, then AC. The coil is wired in series with a lamp which lights quite brightly when there is nothing in the coil. When the coil is energized with DC, inserting the iron rod has no effect on the lamp's brightness (there may be a transient effect). But when the coil is carrying AC, the increase in inductive reactance occasioned by inserting the iron pipe causes the lamp to nearly extinguish.

SETUP TIME: Minimal

COMPONENT LIST:

    


  1.  Iron Pipe		Somewhere


  2.  Coil		EM Shelves


  3.  Lamp		Light Source Shelf

SUGGESTIONS:

REFERENCES: 2122 9.1; PIRA 5L10.10

OTHER NOTES: