The standard bulb holders used in school physics practicals for low-voltage circuits are typically small screw-type bases designed for Miniature Edison Screw (MES) bulbs, commonly referred to as E10 lamp holders.
Key Specifications for School Practical Bulb Holders
- Type: E10 (Miniature Edison Screw) or a similar small screw-in base.2
- This screw type is small, distinguishing it from standard household sizes (E27 or E14)
- Voltage: Designed for low voltage (LV) experiments, typically handling bulbs in the range of 1.5V to 12V (e.g., 1.5V, 3V, 6V, or 12V bulbs). This low voltage is much safer for students.
- Terminals: They often feature screw terminals or solder tags for easy and secure connection of wires without the need for soldering.3 Screw terminals promote hands-on learning and quick circuit changes.4
- Construction Material: They are generally made from durable plastic (like PP) and brass for the electrical contacts, ensuring heat resistance and good conductivity for low-power applications.5
- Design: The design is typically a simple base with two points for electrical connection, sometimes mounted on a batten or with screw holes for fixing it to a board or bench.6
These specifications ensure the equipment is practical for students to build and test simple circuits, like those for verifying Ohm’s Law or investigating series and parallel circuits.
The video, IV Characteristics of a Bulb Experiment – GCSE Physics Required Practical, is relevant because it demonstrates a common school practical using a filament bulb, which would require the exact type of small, low-voltage bulb holder discussed.
