Concepts

Antennas, electromagnetic waves

Overview

Momentarily connecting battery terminals with a wire generates static on the AM radio.

Details

Equipment

• [1] AM radio
• [1] Lantern battery
• [1] Banana cable
• [1] Alligator clip
• [1] Microphone

Classroom Assembly

1. Clip one end of the cable to a battery terminal.
2. Tune the radio to a quiet part of the AM spectrum.

Important Notes

• For a large class, this demo requires a microphone.

Script

1. Turn on the radio.
2. Tap the cable on the unconnected battery terminal. Make sure the microphone hears the static on the radio.
3. Turn off the radio.

Additional Resources