Science·Energy·conceptual
Will the bulb light up?
Identify whether or not a lamp will light in a simple series circuit, based on whether the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery
Suggested ages 8–9
Learning journey
Your child is discovering how electricity works — building simple circuits with batteries and bulbs, understanding how switches control electrical flow, and learning which materials conduct electricity and which don't.
Evidence of understanding
- Predict whether a lamp will light by tracing the circuit for a complete loop
- Explain that a gap anywhere in the circuit breaks the loop and the bulb won't light
- Identify the fault in a non-working circuit (e.g. loose wire, missing connection)
Assessment prompt
If Will the bulb light up? looks at a circuit diagram, can they tell you whether the bulb will light up or not, based on whether there's a complete loop?
Standards alignment
Y4.Sci.E.3GB · uk-nc-2013
Identifying complete loops in circuits
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · Key Stage 2