Force and motion
Force and Motion
Sample Switches
Pushbutton Switch
This is a switch you have to hold down to keep it on. It is the same kind of switch you can find in a computer keyboard, mouse or cell phone. The video above and diagram below show how to make one using two paper fasteners.
Rotary Switch
This is a switch you operate by turning something. The switch on a fan, dryer or toaster oven is usually of this type. The video above and diagram below show how to make a rotary switch using two paper fasteners
Toggle Switch
A toggle switch can flip between two positions, and will stay in either one. A wall switch for a light or a computer ON/OFF switch is usually a toggle switch. The video above shows how to make a toggle switch using a mini-binder clip and a paper fastener, each of which is one of the switch contacts. The diagram below shows a toggle switch made from a binder clip and two paper fastners instead of one. The paper fasteners are the contacts, and the binder clip, when flipped down, makes the connection between them.
Slide Switch
A slide switch is operated by pushing and pulling a small tab back and forth. The ON/OFF switch of the Penguin Toy is of this type. The video above and diagram below show how to make a slide switch using three papaer fasteners.