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Will the Bulb Light? is a free printable Grade 4 science worksheet on evidence that an electric current carries energy only around a complete loop, aligned to NGSS performance expectation 4-PS3-2. It prints 7 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 20 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Will the Bulb Light?

4-PS3-2

NameDate

Read the record, then answer the questions.

1.Read the record, then answer the questions.

Will the Bulb Light?

Results from one battery, one bulb and some wires, set up eight different ways. ONE BATTERY, ONE BULB, EIGHT SET-UPS All the wires joined in a loop ............ bulb lit One wire left loose ....................... bulb off A foil strip across the gap ............... bulb lit A wooden lolly stick across the gap ....... bulb off A steel paperclip across the gap .......... bulb lit A plastic ruler across the gap ............ bulb off A buzzer added into the loop .............. bulb lit dimly, buzzer sounded Bulb taken out, buzzer still in the loop .. buzzer silent After a minute, the lit bulb felt warm. Same battery, same bulb, same wires every time.

  1. 1. What happened with the plastic ruler across the gap?
  2. 2. When did the bulb light?
  3. 3. What happened when the foil strip was put across the gap?
  4. 4. What would a steel key across the gap probably do?
2.Why is the metal in a wire covered in plastic?
  • A.Plastic does not let the current through, so it is safe to hold
  • B.To make it brighter
  • C.To make it carry more energy
3.Where does the energy that lights a flashlight bulb come from?
  • A.The batteries, which store energy
  • B.The switch
  • C.The bulb itself
4.Which shows electric current turning into sound?
  • A.A bulb glowing
  • B.A heater warming a room
  • C.A buzzer sounding when the switch closes
5.A flashlight will not light, but the bulb is fine. What should you check first?
  • A.How heavy the flashlight is
  • B.The color of the flashlight
  • C.Whether every part of the loop is joined
6.A thin heater wire glows red. What has the current carried to it?
  • A.Energy, given out as heat and light
  • B.Water
  • C.Nothing at all
7.Why are electrical wires made of metal inside?
  • A.Metal is the cheapest material
  • B.Metal makes the wire heavier
  • C.Metal lets the current through, so energy can travel along it

LessonPrint · 4-PS3-2 · Set 20 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Will the Bulb Light?

Set 20. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. The bulb stayed off. 2. Only when the loop was complete, joined by wire, foil or a steel paperclip. 3. The bulb lit. 4. Light the bulb, like the steel paperclip did.
  2. 2.Plastic does not let the current through, so it is safe to hold
  3. 3.The batteries, which store energy
  4. 4.A buzzer sounding when the switch closes
  5. 5.Whether every part of the loop is joined
  6. 6.Energy, given out as heat and light
  7. 7.Metal lets the current through, so energy can travel along it

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to 4-PS3-2 of the Next Generation Science Standards.