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Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only)

This simulation has been used and tested in the classroom, and on multiple computer platforms. The simulation has been refined based on that experience and on student interviews.
Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only) Screenshot Download Run Now! 2,109 kB
Version: 3.20 (change log) Embed
An electronics kit in your computer! Build circuits with resistors, light bulbs, batteries, and switches. Take measurements with the realistic ammeter and voltmeter. View the circuit as a schematic diagram, or switch to a life-like view.
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See Below

Teaching Resources

Main Topics

  • Circuits
  • Light Bulbs
  • Batteries
  • Switches
  • Ammeter
  • Voltmeter

Sample Learning Goals

  • Discuss basic electricity relationships.
  • Build circuits from schematic drawings.
  • Use an ammeter and voltmeter to take readings in circuits.
  • Provide reasoning to explain the measurements and relationships in circuits.
  • Discuss basic electricity relationships in series and parallel circuits.
  • Provide reasoning to explain the measurements in circuits.
  • Determine the resistance of common objects in the "Grab Bag."

Tips for Teachers

The teacher's guide (pdf) contains tips created by the PhET team.

Teaching Ideas

Title Authors Level Type Updated
Parallel Circuit Electrical Relationships This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Bill Braun HS HW
Lab		 9/8/11
Using PhET in Electricity Unit This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 Demo
Lab
CQs		 8/7/11
DC circuits lab with real equipment and CCK This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. N. D. Finkelstein, W. K. Adams, C. J. Keller, P. B. Kohl, K. K. Perkins, N. S. Podolefsky, and S. Reid UG-Intro Lab 7/30/10
Circuit design challenge This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Philip Kukulski HS Other
Lab		 6/29/10
Circuit inquiry for Middle school This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Jefferson County Middle School Workshop MS Lab 6/29/10
Series and Parallel circuits basics This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Kristi Goodwin MS Lab 6/29/10
Circuit Construction Kit- series of three activitites (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 Lab
HW
CQs		 4/22/11
Concept questions for Physics using PhET (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro		 CQs 8/1/11
Visualization and Visual Illusions SIM Homework This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Kathy Perkins, Carl Wieman UG-Intro HW 1/9/11
Potential Difference in Circuits This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Archie Paulson, Kathrine Perkins, Steve Pollock UG-Intro Lab 6/21/08
Circuit activity 3 Combination Circuits (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 Lab
CQs		 11/13/08
An investigation into Building Electric Circuits (Inquiry Based) This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Karen King HS
MS		 Lab 11/22/08
Circuit Activity 2 Series & Parallel Circuits (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 Lab
CQs		 11/13/08
Circuit 1 Properties of electric Circuits using only CCK(Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 Lab
CQs		 11/13/08
Circuit activity 2 Series and Parallel Circuits using only CCK (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro		 Lab
CQs		 11/13/08
Circuit activity 3 Combination Circuits using CCK only (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro		 CQs
Lab		 11/13/08
Circuit 1 Properties of Electric Circuits (Inquiry Based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro		 CQs
Lab		 7/18/10
Series Circuits Electrical Relationships Bill Braun HS HW
Lab		 9/8/11
Intro to Parallel & Series Circuits Lucien Blain HS Lab 4/18/11
Circuit Simulation Lab James Giessner HS Lab 2/3/11
Circuit Creator Sarah Stanhope HS Lab 1/27/11
ΦΥΛΛΟ ΕΞΟΙΚΕΙΩΣΗΣ με το Circuit Construction Kit (Virtual Lab Version DC Only) Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης HS
Other
MS		 Demo
Other		 1/25/11
Batteries in series and parallel dorina kosztin MS
HS
UG-Intro		 Lab 10/18/10
Exploring Current in a Parallel Circuit dorina kosztin UG-Intro
HS
MS		 Lab 10/18/10
Exploring Voltage in Series Circuits dorina kosztin UG-Intro
MS
HS		 Lab 10/18/10
D.C Circuit Simulation 2 - Series and Parallel Pauline Seales HS Lab 8/2/10
D.C Circuit Simulation 1 Pauline Seales HS Lab 8/2/10
Series and Parallel Circuits Nicole Murawski HS Lab 2/15/10
Series and Parallel Circuits Inquiry Christopher Link MS Lab 10/18/09
Series Circuits Paul Longwell HS Lab 3/26/09
Circuit Construction Kit Simulation Homework This contribution was designed by PhET. Kathy Perkins, Carl Wieman UG-Intro
HS		 HW 1/8/11
Resistance in Series Circuit Leslie Trexler HS Lab 5/13/08
resistance in parallel circuit Leslie Trexler HS Lab 5/13/08
Circuit rules - series and parallel Unknown Unknown MS HW 4/22/08
Beginning circuits Leslie Trexler HS Lab 3/3/08
Charge and Energy Conservation in Circuits Inquiry Lori Andersen UG-Intro
HS		 Lab
CQs		 6/26/10
Series and Parallel Circuits Robert Kennedy HS Lab 12/11/07
circuits in parallel and in series Beta Keramati UG-Intro Lab 5/16/07
Intro to Circuits Patricia Martinez HS Lab 11/14/08
Introduction to Current, Voltage, and Resistance Karen King HS Lab 9/18/07
Circuit Construction Kit Gretchen Swanson HS Lab 9/18/07
Circuit Principles and Applications Nathan Balasubramanian HS Lab 4/22/08
Ohm's Law Stephan Graham HS Lab 7/27/07
Circuit Construction Kit: DC & AC Exploration curt miller HS Lab 9/18/07
Current in DC Circuits This contribution was designed by PhET. Chris Keller UG-Intro Lab 7/30/10
Circuit Lab 1 - Properties of Electric Circuits Amy Jordan HS Lab 9/14/07
Circuit Lab 2 - Series and Parallel Circuits Amy Jordan HS Lab 8/19/07
Homework Activity I Tom OKuma, Kastro Hamed K-5
UG-Intro		 HW 4/22/08
Electron Flow Rate through Simple Circuits Bill Brinkhorst, Jerry Taylor and Bill Brinkhorst HS HW 7/23/06
CCK - Series & Parallel - Current Flow Steve Reeves HS HW 8/7/05
Puissance electrique Bernard Lacour Other Lab 12/23/10
Εκφορτίσεις και Ηλεκτρικά Κυκλώματα Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης MS Other
Demo
HW
CQs
Lab		 11/28/11
ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΛΟΓΙΕΣ ΑΝΤΙΣΤΑΤΩΝ, Γενικός Οδηγός Οργάνωσης Διδασκαλίας Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης HS
MS		 Other 1/2/11
Αντίσταση των καλωδίων σύνδεσης Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης MS
HS		 Lab
HW		 1/2/11
Ανάλυση Απλών Ηλεκτρικών Κυκλωμάτων Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης HS
MS		 Lab
HW		 1/2/11
Παράλληλη Σύνδεση (ομοίων) Αντιστατών Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης MS
HS		 Lab
HW		 1/2/11
Σύνδεση (ομοίων) Αντιστατών σε Σειρά Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης MS
HS		 HW
Lab		 1/2/11
Επιβεβαίωση του Νόμου του Ohm Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης HS
MS		 Lab
HW		 1/2/11
Μέτρηση Τάσης - 'Εντασης, Υπολογισμός Αντίστασης Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης MS
HS		 Lab
HW		 1/2/11

You can submit your own ideas and activities.

Translated Versions:

Language Language (Translated) Simulation Title
Albanian shqipe Mjetet Per Ndertimin e Qarqeve (Vetem DC) Run Now Download
Arabic العربية طقم ادوات انشاء دائرة كهربائية Run Now Download
Basque Basque Zirkuitu eraikuntza kita (DC bakarrik) Run Now Download
Brazilian Portuguese português (Brasil) Kit de Construção de Circuito (DC) Run Now Download
Chinese - Simplified 中文 (中国) 电路实验（仅直流） Run Now Download
Chinese - Traditional 中文 (台灣) 電路組裝套件(直流) Run Now Download
Croatian hrvatski Dizajniranje srujnih krugova (samo DC) Run Now Download
Czech čeština Konstrukce obvodů (stejnosměrných) Run Now Download
Danish Dansk Kredsløbssamlesæt (kun jævnstrøm) Run Now Download
Dutch Nederlands Schakeling bouwdoos (Gelijkspanning) Run Now Download
Estonian Eesti Virtuaalne vooluringi labor (DC) Run Now Download
Finnish suomi Piirirakennussarja (vain DC) Run Now Download
French français Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only) Run Now Download
Georgian Georgian წრედის კონსტრუქტორი (მხოლოდ DC) Run Now Download
German Deutsch Schaltkreise konstruieren (nur Gleichstrom) Run Now Download
Greek Ελληνικά Κατασκευή κυκλωμάτων (μόνο DC) Run Now Download
Hebrew עברית קיט בנית מעגל זרם ישיר בלבד Run Now Download
Hungarian magyar Áramkörépítő & tervező (csak egyenfeszültségre) Run Now Download
Indonesian Bahasa Indonesia Rangkaian Kit Konstruksi (Hanya DC) Run Now Download
Irish Gaeilge Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only) Run Now Download
Italian italiano Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only) Run Now Download
Japanese 日本語 直流回路キット Run Now Download
Kannada Kannada ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ ಮಂಡಲ ಪೆಟ್ಟಿ Run Now Download
Korean 한국어 회로 제작 키트(DC) Run Now Download
Latvian Latviešu Ķēdes veidošanas komplekts (tikai DC) Run Now Download
Macedonian македонски Конструкција на струјно коло (едносмерна струја) Run Now Download
Marathi Marathi मंडल जोडणी संच (DC फक्त) Run Now Download
Mongolian Mongolian Цахилгаан хэлхээ байгуулах багаж Run Now Download
Norwegian Bokmal Norwegian Bokmål Circuit Construction Kit (kun likestrøm) Run Now Download
Persian Persian (DC) کیت ساخت مدار Run Now Download
Polish polski Zestaw symulacyjny obwodów - tylko napięcia stałe Run Now Download
Portuguese português Circuitos de Corrente Contínua (DC) Run Now Download
Romanian română Trusa de Constructie Circuite (doar DC) Run Now Download
Russian русский Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only) Run Now Download
Serbian Српски Комплет за једносмерну струју Run Now Download
Slovak Slovenčina Stavebnica elektrických obvodov (jednosmerný prúd) Run Now Download
Slovenian Slovenščina Kontrukcijsko orodje tokokrogov (le enosmerno) Run Now Download
Spanish español Kit de Construcción de Circuitos (CC sólo) Run Now Download
Swedish svenska Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only) Run Now Download
Thai ไทย ชุดวงจรไฟฟ้าสำหรับเด็ก Run Now Download
Turkish Türkçe Devre Yapım Kiti (sadece DC) Run Now Download
Ukrainian українська Електричні кола постійного струму Run Now Download
Vietnamese Tiếng Việt Bộ dụng cụ thí nghiệm dòng điện không đổi. Run Now Download

Software Requirements

Windows Macintosh Linux
Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7
Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later 		OS 10.5 or later
Sun Java 1.5.0_19 or later 		Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later

Credits

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Wendy Adams
  • Michael Dubson
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Sam Reid (developer/lead)
  • Carl Wieman
  • Interviewer: Wendy Adams
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