The presentation topic for CC this week was to share about an invention or inventor, preferably during the Industrial Revolution. Nicole wasn't terribly interested in the steam engine or power loom, but she was really interested in Morse code. So, we started looking for information about the beginning of Morse Code, which of course led us to the telegraph. This invention was certainly one of the most important to spur the age of communication, so it seemed appropriate.
We learned that Samuel. Morse was actually an artist, not a scientist...but he had this idea....
We also learned that several other people were trying to develop similar ways to communicate across the miles more quickly than the letter or newspaper. We discovered that the first telegraph sent a message from Baltimore, MD to Washington DC. People were given information and then sent on a train between the two cities to pass the info on. They were amazed to find out that when they arrived in DC, the message had beaten them by an hour and a half! Just a few years later, lines were being laid across the Atalantic sea floor for telegraph communication between America and Europe!
We found out that a telegraph is really a simple machine that communicates with a series of clicks. Operators on both sides had to understand what these clicks meant, which was the reason to develop the code, commonly called Morse Code. Each letter and number is assigned a series of dots and lines. Skilled operators can send 40 words a minute!
It took about an hour of reading books, articles, and watching videos for Nicole to begin to understand the value of this invention. I think the hardest part was understanding that there was no TV, radio, telephone, computer, etc.
While watching videos, we came across a couple that kids had put on youtube of telegraphs they made with their parents. This is similar to the one we made. These brothers made two so they could communicate across the house. Since Jeremy was at work, and I didn't want to go to Home Depot, we did the simplest model possible. We built a telegraph using a battery, brass clips, paper clibs, and some wire we found in the garage!
We would like to build a bigger model with daddy soon.
We could not find written directions on how to build this. All we could find was a video without words. So, we watched, and tried to make sense of it. We will write directions out now for our friends.
Working Telegraph with materials you can find around your house.
Materials needed:2 paper clips (we used small ones, but I'm sure big ones would work.
2 brass fasteners
A small piece of paper
D battery
rubber band
Large nail
piece of styrofoam
Two pieces of solid, insulated wire. One piece should be about 6 feet, the other about 6 inches (we got our wire from some CAT-6 Jeremy had in the garage.)
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| We spent a long time unwrapping the wires...thumbs up that we were doing ok. |
Step 1. Wrap the 6 foot piece of wire around the nail. Wrap it tight...it doesn't have to be super neat. Leave about 6 inches on each end free. (this will create an electromagnetic field)
Step 2. Strip both ends of the wire that is wrapped around the nail.
Step 3. Insert one brass fastener into the small piece of paper. Before securing the back, wrap one end of the nail wire around the fastener (just under the head of it). Secure the fastener.
Step 3. Push the middle part of one paper clip out a little. You'll make it a little 'springy'. Attach the paper clip to the underside of the second brass fastener (you may have to stretch the paper clip a bit, it's ok..just bend it back when you are done).
Step 4: Strip the ends of the 6 inch piece of wire. Wrap one end around the 2nd brass fastener (you want this wire touching the paper clip and the fastener).Insert the 2nd brass fastener into the paper, just close enough to the first one for the paper clip to tap the head of the first fastener. (you just made the key)
Step 5: Press the nail into the piece of styrofoam.
Step 6. Wrap a rubber band around the D battery. Place the other end of the nail wire under the rubberband, on the positive end of the battery. Place the other end of the 6 inch wire (touching the paper clip) under the rubber band on the negative side. **Note- I am not sure if it matters which wire touches positive or negative, you can play with that.
Step 7. Stretch the second paper clip out so you can poke it through the styrofoam. Bend the head of the paperclip down so that it is just above the nail head.
Step 8. Press the key (the paper clip attached the brass fastener) to the head of the other fastener. The paper clip that is close to the nail head should tap it. You may have to move the straightened paper clip around a bit to create a nice tapping sound. Once you have it adjusted....start typing Morse Code messages.
From my understanding, when you touch the key to the brass piece, you close the electrical circuit that you created. When electricity flows through these wires, a magnetic field is produced. By wrapping wire around and around, and around your nail, you are creating an electromagnetic field, which attracts the paper clip to the nail head and taps. When you release the key, the electromagnetic field ends (the circuit opens), and the paper clip released from the nail. This guy on you tube explains it much better.
I have never once in my life (that I remember) built anything like this. We learned about the telegraph, Mr. Morse, history, electricity, circuits, etc. all in this one little experiment. It was awesome!
Here's hoping our video uploads...
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