Ready-to-Go Resources: All About Light

All About Light home

Lesson 3: What's Inside a Bulb?

Goal: Observe the physical properties of a light bulb

Time required: 40 minutes

Materials: What's Inside a Bulb? (PDF) Student Reproducible 3, pencil or pen, new light bulb, burned-out light bulb

Hint: If you gently flick the outside of a hot light bulb, you can break the—filament to create a burned-out bulb. Use clear glass bulbs so the insides can be seen. NOTE: Please use caution when handling hot light bulbs.

Directions:

  1. Discuss with students how invention comes from hard work and testing. Explain how inventors constantly attempt to improve inventions as new information is discovered.

  2. Let students share ways in which light bulbs are important in their lives. Ask students to brainstorm about different types of lights on which they rely.

  3. Distribute What's Inside a Bulb? Student Reproducible 3 to each student, and review the parts of a light bulb.

  4. Under your supervision, have students take turns looking at the new light bulb and the burned-out light bulb. Shake the burned-out bulb and ask students to listen.

  5. Let students reflect on their observations and complete the questions individually or in pairs.
Students' conclusions should include the following: 1. Answers may vary; 2. There is a faint rattling sound when the broken filament hits the sides of the glass in the burned-out bulb; 3. The filament broke because it was heated for a long period of time and could not withstand the heat; 4. A bulb needs an unbroken—path-the filament-to move electricity from one place to another.


Did you know that light affects our mood? Here are some interesting facts that you may want to share with your students.

  • Natural light, found in sunlight or incandescent bulbs made to simulate sunlight, stimulates the production of serotonin, a hormone that makes people feel less tired and stressed out, and helps them to see better.
  • Pink light promotes feelings of safety and peaceful happiness. Pink works well as a night-light because of its softness.
  • Dim light decreases calcium absorption and lowers people's moods.
  • Blue light can make people feel better after nightmares because it has a calming effect. Blue can help decrease blood pressure and pulse rate. It is the most frequently chosen bulb color in the United States.
  • Some types of fluorescent light make people feel happier; they stimulate serotonin production in the same way that full-spectrum light does, but some people prefer full-spectrum light because it mimics natural light.
View and print items marked (PDF) using Adobe Acrobat Reader© software, version 4.0 or higher. Items marked (PDF Form) feature editable areas. Save edits with version 7.0 or higher. Get Adobe Reader for free.
Student Contest! Teachers, help your students write a letter to a newspaper editor about Thomas Edison's great invention!
To get started, distribute this contest entry form (PDF), contest entry page (PDF), and family contest activity (PDF).

Students Have a Chance to Win:

• $5,000 or $1,250 U.S. savings bond
• Scholastic Inventor's Gift Pack of Books

Teachers Have a Chance to Win:

• $250 GE Science Grant
• $250 Scholastic gift certificate
• One-year home supply of light bulbs
• Science-themed set of library books

Classrooms Have a Chance to Win:

• Class visit from an Olympic athlete
• Class set of collectible GE Olympic Games pins

All winners receive a collectible GE Olympic Games pin and a certificate of participation!

Entries must be postmarked by
October 21, 2005.
Official Rules (PDF)

Download an exciting activity and
fun facts about how GE is helping
to bring the Games to light.
GE and Reveal are trademarks of
General Electric Company.

 
GE is proud to be a worldwide partner of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, to be held in Torino, Italy. Download the resources for an exciting activity and fun facts about how GE is helping to bring the Games to light.
Photo Credits: © Digital Vision/PictureQuest; © Bananastock/PictureQuest.