Experiment 1: Exploring Charge with Scotch® Tape

In this experiment, you will observe the behavior of charged objects using pieces of Scotch®
tape.

Materials  
Scotch® Tape
Ruler *Flat Work Surface
*Pen
*You Must Provide

Procedure

Part 1

1. Use the ruler to measure a piece of tape that is 10 cm long.

2. Tear the tape to remove the 10 cm piece from the roll.
3. Create a “handle” on one side of the piece of tape by folding down the piece of tape
1 cm from the end, leaving a 9 cm sticky piece with a 1 cm handle.
4. Stick the entire sticky surface of the tape to a table top, counter top, or another flat
surface.
5. Repeat Steps 1 – 4 with a second 10 cm piece of tape. Stick the second piece of tape
at least 15 cm away from the first piece on the same surface.
6. Quickly pull off both strips of tape from the surface and ensure that the pieces do not
touch.
7. Carefully bring the non-sticky sides of the tape together and record observations
about the behavior of the pieces in Table 1.
8. Discard the tape.

Part 2

1. Use the ruler to measure a piece of tape that is 10 cm long.

2. Tear the tape to remove the 10 cm piece from the roll.
3. Create a “handle” on one side of the piece of tape by folding down 1 cm of tape from
one end.
4. Stick the entire sticky surface of the tape to a table top, counter top, or another flat
surface.
5. Use a pen and write “B1” on the tape. “B” stands for bottom.
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6. Repeat Steps 1 – 4 with a second 10 cm piece of tape. This time, press the second
strip of tape on top of the one labeled “B1”.
7. Use the pen to label the top piece with a “T1”. “T” stands for top.
8. Create a second pair of pieces of tape by repeating Steps 1 – 7. This time, label the
bottom piece “B2” and the top piece “T2”.
9. Use the T1 handle to quickly pull off T1 strip of tape from the flat surface.
10. Use the B1 handle to peel off the bottom strip from the flat surface. Keep both B1
and T1 pieces away from each other.
11. Bring the non-sticky sides of B1 and T1 together and record observations about the
behavior of the pieces in Table 1.
12. Set the pieces of tape, non-sticky side down, on the table approximately 15 cm away
from each other. Do not stick them back on the table!
13. Repeat Steps 9 - 12 for B2 and T2.
14. Carefully bring the non-sticky sides of piece “T1” and “B2”. Record observations
about the behavior of the pieces in Table 1.
15. Set them back down, non-sticky side down.
16. Repeat Steps 14 - 15 for “T1” and “T2”. Record your observations in Table 1.
17. Repeat Steps 14 - 15 for “B1” and “B2”. Record your observations in Table 1.
18. Repeat Steps 14 and 15 for “T1” and the hair on your leg or arm. Record your
observations in Table 1.
19. Repeat Steps 14 and 15 for “B1” and the hair on your leg or arm. Record your
observations in Table 1.

Table 1: Electric Charge Observations

Procedure Interacting Pieces Observations

Two pieces on The pieces of tape we repelled from

Part 1
table each other 
Part 2 T1 / B1 Attracted to each other 
T2 / B2 Attracted to each other 
T1 / B2 Attracted to each other 
T2 / B1 Attracted to each other 
T1 / T2  Repelled from Each Other
B1 / B2  Repelled from Each Other
T1 / Arm Hair  No effect 
B1 / Arm Hair  Attracted to Hair

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Post-Lab Questions
 
1. Describe the interaction between the top and bottom strips as they relate to electric
charge. Did the behavior of the pieces change when the tape was from different sets?

Top and Bottom strips were attracted to each other like opposing (positive vs. negative)
electric charges. The behavior did not change when using tap of different sets

2. Describe the interaction between two top and two bottom pieces of tape as they
relate to electric charge. Is this consistent with the existence of only two types of
charge? Use your results to support your answer.

The strips were repelled from each other like similar (positive vs positive/ negative vs
negative) electric charges. Likely the top strips take on a positive or negative charge while
the bottom ones take on another.

3. Did the top tape attract your arm hair? Did the bottom tape attract your arm hair?
Usually arm hair is neutral; it has equal number positive and negative charges. Use
this information to explain your results.

The top tape did not attract my arm hair. The Bottom tape did, probably polarizing the
charges in my arm hair.

4. Which pieces of tape are positively charged? Which pieces of tape are negatively
charged? Explain your reasoning.

The top pieces are positively charged because it did not attract the arm hair. The bottom
pieces are negatively charged because they did attract the arm hair.

5. Use your data to create a rule describing how like charges, opposite charges, and
neutral bodies interact.

Opposing charges attract. Like charges repel. Negative charges attract neutral bodies while
positive charges have no effect.

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 6. What do you observe about the force of attraction or repulsion when the pieces of
tape are closer together and farther apart? Does this change happen gradually or
quickly?
The force of attraction decreases with distance, while the force of repulsion increases getting
closer. This happens quickly

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