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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 2,165 kB
Version: 3.20 (change log)
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.

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		 Lab
CQs
Demo		 7/19/13
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 Lab
Other		 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		 HW
CQs
Lab		 7/7/13
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 7/7/13
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 HS
UG-Intro		 CQs
Lab		 7/7/13
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 MS
HS		 Lab 11/22/08
Circuit Lab 2 - Series and Parallel Circuits 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. Amy Jordan HS Lab 8/19/07
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 HS
UG-Intro		 Lab
CQs		 7/7/13
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		 Lab
CQs		 7/7/13
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		 CQs
Lab		 7/9/13
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		 7/9/13
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		 7/9/13
What Affects Resistance Ashley Teslicka HS Lab 10/31/13
Measuring Current in a Series Circuit Darya K. K-5 Lab 3/24/13
Electrical Circuits (Series vs Parallel) Constantina K-5 Lab 3/17/13
PhET's Teacher Resources: Goals, Facilitation, and Activity Design PhET Team MS
HS		 Lab 10/31/12
Virtual Circuit Lab Joanna MacDonald HS Lab 5/6/13
Circuit Construction Kit Kevin Fairchild HS Lab 4/1/12
Explore voltage, current and resistance in DC circuit Chee Heong Lee HS
MS		 Other
Lab		 3/30/12
DC Parallel Circuits Michael Noel HS Lab 3/13/12
Σύνδεση αντιστατών σε σειρά - Ισοδύναμη αντίσταση αντιστατών Αγησίλαος Πετρόπουλος HS
MS		 Lab 2/28/12
Μέτρηση Τάσης – Έντασης, Υπολογισμός αντίστασης λαμπτήρα Αγησίλαος Πετρόπουλος HS
MS		 HW 2/28/12
Κατασκευή ενός απλού ηλεκτρικού κυκλώματος Αγησίλαος Πετρόπουλος MS Lab 3/1/12
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 Other
HS
MS		 Other
Demo		 1/25/11
Batteries in series and parallel dorina kosztin HS
UG-Intro
MS		 Lab 10/18/10
Exploring Current in a Parallel Circuit dorina kosztin MS
UG-Intro
HS		 Lab 10/18/10
Exploring Voltage in Series Circuits dorina kosztin HS
UG-Intro
MS		 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 HS
UG-Intro		 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		 CQs
Lab		 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
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
Εφαρμογή του Νόμου του Ohm σε απλό ηλεκτρικό κύκλωμα - Προσθήκη αντιστάτη σε παράλληλη σύνδεση Αγησίλαος Πετρόπουλος HS Lab 2/28/12
Συσχέτιση φωτοβολίας λαμπτήρα με ηλεκτρικά φυσικά μεγέθη τόσο σε σειρά όσο και σε παράλληλη σύνδεση Αγησίλαος Πετρόπουλος MS
HS		 Lab 2/28/12
Διακοπή και Βραχυκύκλωμα σε σειρά σύνδεση Αγησίλαος Πετρόπουλος MS
HS		 Lab 2/28/12
Σύνδεση αντιστατών παράλληλα Αγησίλαος Πετρόπουλος HS
MS		 Lab 2/28/12
Νόμος του Ohm σε απλό ηλεκτρικό κύκλωμα Αγησίλαος Πετρόπουλος MS
HS		 Lab 2/28/12
Εκφορτίσεις και Ηλεκτρικά Κυκλώματα Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης MS Other
CQs
Lab
HW
Demo		 11/28/11
ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΛΟΓΙΕΣ ΑΝΤΙΣΤΑΤΩΝ, Γενικός Οδηγός Οργάνωσης Διδασκαλίας Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης MS
HS		 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		 HW
Lab		 1/2/11
Σύνδεση (ομοίων) Αντιστατών σε Σειρά Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης MS
HS		 HW
Lab		 1/2/11
Επιβεβαίωση του Νόμου του Ohm Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης MS
HS		 Lab
HW		 1/2/11
Μέτρηση Τάσης - 'Εντασης, Υπολογισμός Αντίστασης Νικόλαος Κυπριωτάκης HS
MS		 HW
Lab		 1/2/11
Strāvas un sprieguma noteikšana virknes un paralēlslēgumā Ieva Leja MS Lab 5/29/13
Simulações Computacionais Como Ferramenta Auxiliar ao Ensino de Conceitos Básicos de Eletromagnetismo Josué Antunes de Macêdo, Adriana Gomes Dickman HS Demo
Lab
CQs
Other		 2/16/12
Computer Simulations as a Tool to Assist Teaching Basics of Electromagnetism (Simulações Computacionais Como Ferramenta Auxiliar ao Ensino de Conceitos Básicos de Eletromagnetismo) Josué Antunes de Macêdo & Adriana Gomes Dickman MS Demo
Lab
CQs
Other		 2/16/12
Elektriska kretsar Ingrid Johansson HS HW 4/14/12

You can submit your own ideas and activities.

Translated Versions:

Language Language (Translated) Simulation Title
Afrikaans Afrikaans Stroombaan Konstruksie Kit (DS alleen) Run Now
Albanian shqipe Mjetet Per Ndertimin e Qarqeve (Vetem DC) Run Now
Arabic العربية طقم ادوات انشاء دائرة كهربائية Run Now
Armenian Armenian Հաստատուն հոսանքի շղթաների կառուցման լաբարատորիյա Run Now
Basque Basque Zirkuitu eraikuntza kita (DC bakarrik) Run Now
Bosnian Bosnian Komplet zа jednosmjernu struju Run Now
Brazilian Portuguese português (Brasil) Kit de Construção de Circuito (DC) Run Now
Bulgarian български Инструментариум за конструиране на ел. вериги (само DC) Run Now
Catalan català Kit de construcció de circuits (sols CC) Run Now
Chinese - Simplified 中文 (中国) 电路实验（仅直流） Run Now
Chinese - Traditional 中文 (台灣) 電路組裝套件(直流) Run Now
Croatian hrvatski Dizajniranje srujnih krugova (samo DC) Run Now
Czech čeština Konstrukce obvodů (stejnosměrných) Run Now
Danish Dansk Kredsløbssamlesæt (kun jævnstrøm) Run Now
Dutch Nederlands Schakeling bouwdoos (Gelijkspanning) Run Now
Estonian Eesti Virtuaalne vooluringi labor (DC) Run Now
Finnish suomi Piirirakennussarja (vain DC) Run Now
French français Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only) Run Now
Galician Gallegan Construción Circuito (DC) Run Now
Georgian Georgian წრედის კონსტრუქტორი (მხოლოდ DC) Run Now
German Deutsch Stromkreis Baukasten (Gleichstrom) Run Now
Greek Ελληνικά Κατασκευή κυκλωμάτων (μόνο DC) Run Now
Haitian Haitian Zouti pou bati sikui (DC sèlman) Run Now
Hebrew עברית קיט בנית מעגל זרם ישיר בלבד Run Now
Hungarian magyar Áramkörépítő & tervező (csak egyenfeszültségre) Run Now
Indonesian Bahasa Indonesia Rangkaian Kit Konstruksi (Hanya DC) Run Now
Irish Gaeilge Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only) Run Now
Italian italiano Kit per circuiti elettrici (corrente continua) Run Now
Japanese 日本語 直流回路キット Run Now
Kannada Kannada ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ ಮಂಡಲ ಮಾಡು Run Now
Khmer Khmer ឧបករណ៍​បង្កើត​សៀគ្វី (តែ​ចរន្ត​ជាប់​ DC ប៉ុណ្ណោះ) Run Now
Korean 한국어 회로 제작 키트(DC) Run Now
Kurdish Kurdish دروستکردنی سوڕی کاره‌با (DC ته‌نها) Run Now
Latvian Latviešu Ķēdes veidošanas komplekts (tikai līdzstrāva) Run Now
Macedonian македонски Конструкција на струјно коло (едносмерна струја) Run Now
Malay Bahasa Melayu Kit Pembinaan Litar (AT Sahaja) Run Now
Marathi Marathi मंडल जोडणी संच (DC फक्त) Run Now
Mongolian Mongolian Цахилгаан хэлхээ байгуулах багаж Run Now
Norwegian Bokmal Norwegian Bokmål Kretsbyggeren (kun likestrøm) Run Now
Norwegian Nynorsk Norwegian Nynorsk Krinsbyggjaren (kun likestraum) Run Now
Persian Persian (DC) کیت ساخت مدار Run Now
Polish polski Zestaw symulacyjny obwodów - tylko napięcia stałe Run Now
Portuguese português Circuitos de Corrente Contínua (DC) Run Now
Romanian română Trusa de Constructie Circuite (doar DC) Run Now
Russian русский Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only) Run Now
Serbian Српски Комплет за једносмерну струју Run Now
Slovak Slovenčina Stavebnica elektrických obvodov (jednosmerný prúd) Run Now
Slovenian Slovenščina Kontrukcijsko orodje tokokrogov (le enosmerno) Run Now
Spanish español Kit de construccion de circuitos (sólo CC) Run Now
Spanish (Peru) español (Perú) Equipo de Construcción de Circuitos (Solo DC) Run Now
Swedish svenska Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only) Run Now
Tamil Tamil சுற்று கட்டுமானம் கிட்டை (நேர்மின்னோட்டம்மட்டும்) Run Now
Thai ไทย ชุดวงจรไฟฟ้าสำหรับเด็ก Run Now
Turkish Türkçe Devre Yapım Kiti (sadece DC) Run Now
Turkmen Turkmen Zynjyry ýasamak üçin toplum (diňe DC - hemişelik tok üçin) Run Now
Ukrainian українська Електричні кола постійного струму Run Now
Vietnamese Tiếng Việt Bộ dụng cụ thí nghiệm dòng điện không đổi. Run Now

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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