Newbie - Simple Light Switch

[sroussie]

Hi.

My son wants to build a simple light switch for his science project. I know how to hook up a light bulb to a battery to make it light but how do I add the switch part in. He has a pushbutton switch, a 12v lamp assembly, and a battery. Any help would be appreciated. I am not familiar with electronic terms so I would need to have the directions in laymans terms.

Thanks,
Sue

 

[diode]

Ok in laymans terms then....

Connect the lamp "as usual", ie one side of the lamp to one side of the battery and the other side to the other side of the battery, what you have so far is the lamp just on all the time.

Now you cut one of the two wires that go to the lamp, you are left with two loose ends of wire. One end you connect to one side of the switch the other to the other side of the switch (or pushbutton or whatever you have).

And if you want to understand why: in order for the lamp to glow current must go from one side of the battery to the other passing trough the lamp. The switch simply contains two metal parts that "cut" the wire open when pressed preventing electricity from flowing trough it.

Hope it's clear.

 

[sroussie]

Thank you, it is clear on how to do it. And thanks for the explanation as well.

Sue