Static Electricity

Properties of static charge

OBJECTIVES CORE LEARNING GOALS

Students will develop scientific 3.2.1 The student will make informed
inquiry skills decisions and predictions based upon the
Students will investigate the results of simulations and data from
properties of static charge research.

MATERIALS CALCULATOR SKILLS

Experiment #1
sheet of glass greater than or equal
to 10 x 5 (window pane, a
shallow pyrex baking dish turned
upside down) or a plastic take-out
container EQUATIONS
plastic bag with zipper lock
2 thick books (encyclopedia or
school textbook) of the same
thickness
small pieces of paper (hole punched
paper bits or tissue paper)
plastic foam (egg carton material)
science journal
metal pie pan
scissors
notebook paper

Experiment #2
balloon
2 cola cans (1 empty and 1 full)
science journal

ACTIVITIES
1. Hands-On Activities
Experiment #1: Dancing Paper
Experiment #2: Runaway Cola Can
2. Discussion

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Document: Electricity Vocabulary lists terms and definitions.
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/static.html
http://amasci.com/emotor/stmiscon.html
 Static Electricity
Properties of static charge
TEACHER GUIDE

Lesson/Background:

Matter is made up of particles having positive charges and negative charges. The
negative particles are called electrons. Matter is neutrally charged when there are just as
many positive charges as negative charges. Neutral matter can become charged by
removing or adding electrons. All of the following experiments can be explained in
terms of matter being charged and the interaction it had when coming in contact with
other neutral or charged matter. Many objects can be charged by rubbing them with
another substance. When the different materials touch, one material tends to hold onto
electrons more tightly and steals electrons from the other surface as they touch. That
surface is then negatively charged because it has more electrons than protons and the
other surface is positively charged. When the surfaces separate, the regions of opposite
charge also separate. Rubbing a balloon with wool causes electrons to leave the wool and
move onto the balloon that makes the balloon negative. Even though the balloon has
both positive and negative charges, the overall charge is negative. This would mean that
the resulting charge on the wool would be positive since electrons were removed from the
originally neutral wool.

Hands On Activities:

Experiment #1: Dancing Paper

1. Place the two books about 10 cm apart on a table.
2. Place some small bits of material (paper, tissue paper, or foam) on the table area
between the two books.
3. With adult supervision: Carefully place the piece of glass on top of the two books.
4. Predict what will happen as a result of rubbing a piece of plastic on the glass. Record
your prediction in a science journal.
5. Rub the top of the glass quickly with a piece of the plastic bag.
6. Observe for about a minute and record what happens in the science journal, then
explain why the paper behaved as it did.
7. Touch the plastic bag against the glass and observe what happens. Record your
finding in the science journal.
8. Repeat steps 2-7 using the other pieces of materials not yet used and record what
happens in the science journal. Pay special attention to any changes in the results.

Teacher Tip:
This experiment is demonstrated in the movie: staticElectricityExp5.mpg

Extension
1. Place a metal pie pan under the glass in between the two books.
2. Repeat steps 2-6 using cutouts in the shape of people and watch them dance!
Experiment #2: Runaway Cola Can
1. Blow up a balloon and rub the balloon on your head to build up a charge.
2. Place an empty cola can (aluminum) horizontally on a smooth surface (kitchen floor)
and slowly bring the charged balloon close to the can.
3. Observe what happens and record your observations in the science journal.
4. Repeat steps 1 and 2 using a full can of cola.
5. Record in the science journal what happened this time and why?
6. Rub the balloon on your head again. Hold the balloon. Do not set it down.
7. With your other hand, pick up and rub the empty cola can on your head.
8. Place the empty cola can horizontally on the smooth surface and slowly bring the
balloon near the can. What happened? Record your observations in the science journal.
9. Make a drawing of the scientific properties behind this investigation in the science
journal using the following terms: static, charge, positive (+), negative (-), attract, and
repel.

Teacher Tip:
This experiment is demonstrated in the movie: staticElectricityExp6.mpg
Discussion:

Experiment #1: Dancing Paper

What causes the glass to become electrically charged when it is rubbed with the plastic
bag?

Teacher Tip:
By rubbing the plastic bag on the glass, the bag loses electrons and becomes negatively
charged. When the negatively charged object (plastic bag) approaches an object with a
neutral charge (glass), the object takes on a positive electrical charge.

Experiment #1 Extension: Dancing Paper

What differences do you notice in the actions of the cutout people shapes? Record your
responses in the science journal.

Metal is a conductor of electricity. How did adding the pan under the cutout people
shapes affect the results in the investigation of static charge? Record your explanation in
the science journal.

Experiment #2: Runaway Cola Can

1. What causes the balloon and can to react the way they do? Record your responses in
the science journal.

2. How could you reverse the process so that the can would chase after the balloon or
appear to be pulled by an invisible string in the same direction that the balloon is
moving?
 Static Electricity
Properties of static charge
Student Worksheet

Experiment #1: Dancing Paper

1. Place the two books about 10 cm apart on a table.
2. Place some small bits of material (paper, tissue paper, or foam) on the table area
between the two books.
3. With adult supervision: Carefully place the piece of glass on top of the two books.
4. Predict what will happen as a result of rubbing a piece of plastic on the glass. Record
your prediction in a science journal.
5. Rub the top of the glass quickly with a piece of the plastic bag.
6. Observe for about a minute and record what happens in the science journal, then
explain why the paper behaved as it did.
7. Touch the plastic bag against the glass and observe what happens. Record your
finding in the science journal.
8. Repeat steps 2-7 using the other pieces of materials not yet used and record what
happens in the science journal. Pay special attention to any changes in the results.

Extension for Experiment #1

1. Place a metal pie pan under the glass in between the two books.
2. Repeat steps 2-6 using cutouts in the shape of people and watch them dance!

Experiment #2: Runaway Cola Can

1. Blow up a balloon and rub the balloon on your head to build up a charge.
2. Place an empty cola can (aluminum) horizontally on a smooth surface (kitchen floor)
and slowly bring the charged balloon close to the can.
3. Observe what happens and record your observations in the science journal.
4. Repeat steps 1 and 2 using a full can of cola.
5. Record in the science journal what happened this time and why?
6. Rub the balloon on your head again. Hold the balloon. Do not set it down.
7. With your other hand, pick up and rub the empty cola can on your head.
8. Place the empty cola can horizontally on the smooth surface and slowly bring the
balloon near the can. What happened? Record your observations in the science journal.
9. Make a drawing of the scientific properties behind this investigation in the science
journal using the following terms: static, charge, positive (+), negative (-), attract, and
repel.
Discussion Questions

Experiment #1: Dancing Paper

What causes the glass to become electrically charged when it is rubbed with the plastic
bag?

Extension - Experiment #1: Dancing Paper

What differences do you notice in the actions of the cutout people shapes? Record your
responses in the science journal.

Metal is a conductor of electricity. How did adding the pan under the cutout people
shapes affect the results in the investigation of static charge? Record your explanation in
the science journal.

Experiment #2: Runaway Cola Can

1. What causes the balloon and can to react the way they do? Record your responses in
the science journal.

2. How could you reverse the process so that the can would chase after the balloon or
appear to be pulled by an invisible string in the same direction that the balloon is
moving?