LED Card

Warning!

Adult supervision: choking hazards

Please read the procedure before beginning! After reading, please watch the video. Some activities require more time and cleanup than others. You also have the choice of performing these activities in a way that suits your needs.

Not for children under 3 years. Adult supervision is required. Follow approved procedures.

Materials

· Two Schematics

· Copper Tape

· Four LEDs

· Two 3V Batteries

· Washi Tape

· Markers

Procedure

1. Open one of the batteries. Test each LED by touching the positive (long) prong to the positive side of the battery and the negative (short) prong to the negative side.

2. Materials are provided to make two LED cards. On one of the schematic diagrams, place a strip of copper tape from point A to point B. The tape can be easily torn by hand, and the paper on the back can be peeled off.

3. Place a piece of copper tape from point B to point C. Ensure that the tape overlaps at the points. Do not place tape from point C to point D.

4. Repeat from points D to E, E to F, and F to G.

5. Press the light side of the LED through the schematic where it is labeled ‘LED’. The side with the prongs will be on the side with the copper tape, and the LED will be on the blank side (this will be the front of the card).

6. Flatten the prongs so they touch the copper tape and tape them down. Be sure to put the positive (long) prong on the side labeled ‘+’ and the negative (short) prong on the side labeled ‘-‘.

7. Tape down the battery over the part labeled ‘battery’ using two strips of washi tape along the sides. Do not tape over the center of the battery.

8. Fold the card in half along the red dotted line. The LED will light up! Decorate the front of the card using the markers. Repeat with the remaining materials to make another LED card.

Science Behind it!

What shape do you think of when you think of a circuit? I think of a circle because a circle is a closed loop with no edges and angles. This is similar to a circuit. A circuit is something that brings electricity from one place to another over and over again until you open or break the circuit. In this activity, you used the copper tape to bring the electricity from the battery to the LED. What happened after you connected everything? The LED was able to light up! The copper tape is necessary because it is a conductor, which means electricity can flow through it. For a circuit to work, the positive side of the power source (battery) needs to be connected to the positive side of the resistor (LED), and the negative side of the power source must be connected to the negative side of the resistor. What other things can you think of that require electricity? All of these things utilize circuits! Can you make circuits using materials from your everyday household items? Enjoy making someone you care for a beautiful card that lights up. You can even share with that person the science behind the card!