Physics · Lesson Worlds

Electricity: interactive science lab

Change voltage or resistance and prove that current — what the lamp feels — is V divided by R.

Free · No account required · Runs in your browser

What will you learn?

Current is what flows. Raise voltage, more current. Raise resistance, less current. The lamp is a readout of I = V / R.

How does the lab work?

Observe the simulation, make a prediction, change a variable, run the experiment, and explain the result. Finish with a challenge that tests your understanding.

You can change: Voltage, Resistance. Compare what happens and connect the result to the scientific explanation.

Try a comparison in Electricity

Start with the lab’s initial settings. Choose one control below, predict the result, and change that control while keeping the others fixed. Record the setting and what you observe before making a second change.

Voltage: the lab starts at 6 V; its available range is 1–12 V.
Resistance: the lab starts at 12 Ω; its available range is 2–40 Ω.

For a named starting condition, try Dim, Room, Bright. A preset can change several settings: check the controls before treating two presets as a one-variable comparison.

Questions to discuss during the activity

Watch what happens. Charge has a path. The lamp glows because current runs through it. Close the loop and watch the lamp.
Name the cause. Voltage is the push from the battery. Resistance is how tight the path is. Current — what the lamp feels — is push over squeeze: I = V / R. Current is push divided by squeeze.
Change something. Raise resistance and the lamp should dim. Change resistance, then close the loop.
Guess before you run. If we raise resistance toward 36 Ω, the lamp will… Guess what will happen, then run to check.

After your comparison, explain how the observations connect to this idea: Current is what flows. Raise voltage, more current. Raise resistance, less current. The lamp is a readout of I = V / R. Name one condition you held fixed and one feature of the real world this model simplifies. A completed run is a starting point for discussion, rather than proof of mastery.

Who is it for?

Curious learners exploring physics. A parent or teacher can help younger learners read the instructions and discuss the results. Choose by topic and prior knowledge rather than a fixed grade level.

Is this lab free?

Yes. This interactive lab is free without signing in or a paid membership.

No app download is needed; interactive play requires JavaScript and a modern browser.

Use this activity with a learner

Families and educators · choose by prior knowledge

Learning goal: Current is what flows. Raise voltage, more current. Raise resistance, less current. The lamp is a readout of I = V / R.

Before you begin: Read the controls for Voltage, Resistance. Make one prediction before changing a setting.

Check understanding: Ask for one observation, the evidence that supports it, and a question to investigate next.

A simulation simplifies the real world. Explain which conditions stayed fixed; a successful run alone does not demonstrate mastery.

Explore a circuit one change at a time: prediction, evidence, and follow-up

Share Electricity with your family or class. No account is needed to open the free resource.

Activity and guide by Lesson Worlds. About the platform.

Browse activity companions and lesson sequences