Misconceptions: Electricity

Misconception	Discussion of the problem	Possible Activities
Positively charged objects have gained protons, rather than being deficient in electrons.
Electrons which are lost by an object are really lost - disappear! (no conservation of charge).
All atoms are charged.
A charged object can only attract other charged objects.	Induced charge needs to be explained and demonstrated
The electrostatic force between two charged objects is independent of the distance between them.		Practical with electroscope and charged rod
Gravitational forces are stronger than electrostatic forces.
Batteries have current inside them - waiting to burst out!.	Speak of batteries having stored chemical energy
Mains sockets have current inside them - waiting to get out (hence child socket covers to stop it 'leaking out').
A battery gives out a certain current - and that then splits up in a parallel circuit
A battery gives out a certain current but if the circuit has lots of resistance that current will get smaller as it flows round the circuit
Voltage flows through components
Current is across components
Voltage shares between the strands of a parallel circuit
All bulbs have the same resistance