The Analysis of the Van de Graaff Generator

By:

Winston Leonard Prayonggo/ Grade 12

SMA KRISTEN ELYON

2021/2022
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1
ABSTRACT 1
DISCUSSION 2
DEFINTION 2
REAL-LIFE PRACTICE 2
STATIC ELECTRICITY PRINCIPLES 3
APPLICATION OF STATIC ELECTRICITY ON
THE VAN DE GRAAFF GENERATOR’S WORKING MECHANISM 4

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 6

REFERENCES 7

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 I. INTRODUCTION
A. Title
The Analysis of the Van de Graaff Generator
B. Abstract
A Van de Graaff generator is an electrostatic generator that is used for scientific
experiments to get high voltages in less time with a high safety factor. The Van de Graaff
takes advantage of a moving belt to gather electric charge on a hollow metal glove on the
top of an insulated column, producing very high electric potentials at low current levels.
Invented in the 1930s by American physicist Robert J. Van de Graaff, Van de
Graaff originally wanted to use the generator to provide scientists a way of accelerating
particles for atomic research. But today, is device has become familiar to a much wider
audience as a means of demonstrating many of the principles of electrostatics.
This article will provide a detailed analysis based on the principles of physics of
the Van de Graaff generator, specifically on the its function, its real-life practice, and the
application of static electricity on it.

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 II. DISCUSSION
A. Definition
A Van de Graaff generator is an electrostatic generator which uses a moving belt to
accumulate electric charge on a hollow metal globe on the top of an insulated column,
creating very high electric potentials.

B. Real-life Practice
In the 1930s, the invention of the Van de Graaff Generator was as a means to provide
scientists a way of accelerating particles for atomic research. However, in modern times,
the Van de Graaff Generator is widely regarded as a teaching tool to provide an actual
demonstration of the principles and effects of static electricity to young aspiring physicists
and physics enthusiasts all around the world. Apart from that, Van de Graaff Generators
can also be used to accelerate electrons to sterilize food and process materials, accelerating
protons for nuclear physics experiments, producing energetic X-ray beams in nuclear
medicine

One popular phenomenon as a result of the static electricity

generated by the Van de Graaff Generator is to make your
hair stand on end.

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C. Static Electricity Principles
Before we get into the application of static electricity on the Van de Graaff
Generator, we must first have a clear concept on static electricity which are the physics
principles behind how a Van de Graaff generator works.
Static electricity involves three types of particles: electrons (which have
negative charge), protons (positive) and neutrons (neutral). Any electrically charged object,
either positively or negatively charged, produces an electric field in the same space around
it. An electric field is a field of force that acts on anything that has an electric charge within
it. This force exerted, specifically called as the electrostatic force between charged particles
is related to Coulomb’s law, which states: “Any two-point charges exert an electrical force
on each other that is proportional to the product of their charges and inversely
proportional to the square of the distance between them.”
In short, Coulomb’s law can be summarized into the following equation:
𝑄1 𝑄2
𝐹=
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟 2
Where F is the electrostatic force (N) between the charges;
Q1 and Q2 are the charges (C) involved;
r is the distance between the two charges;
𝜀0 as the permittivity of free space with an approximate value of 8.85 × 10−12 F m−1

This electrostatic forces between charged particles will cause like charges to repel
one another while opposite charges to attract one another. This concept of electrostatic
forces of like charges repelling one another and opposite charges attracting one another
will play a huge part in the mechanism of the Van de Graaff Generator. Aside from that,
electric potential, the work done in bringing unit positive charge, is also an important factor
to take into account. We can write an equation for the potential V (SI Units: volts) at a
distance r from a charge Q as:

𝑄
𝑉=
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟

(This comes from the calculus process of integration on Coulomb’s law equation.)

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D. Application of static electricity on the Van de Graaff Generator’s working mechanism
Static electricity is at the very core of how a Van de Graaff Generator function. In
essence, a Van de Graaff Generator is generally made up of these components: two rollers
(one found at the lower part of the generator, and the found at the upper part of the
generator), a motor, a belt, a sphere, a lower brush connected to the ground, and an upper
brush connected to the sphere.
When connected to a power source, the motor featured at the bottom of the Van de
Graaff Generator will cause the roller found at the bottom area of the generator to start
turning. The lower roller is usually made out of a material that is more likely to attract
electrons (e.g., Teflon), while the belt is made out of a relatively neutral material such as
cotton. When the roller starts turning, it rubs against the belt, setting the belt into motion
while creating friction between these two parts. The friction causes the electrons to jump
from the cotton to the roller, making the belt positively charged. This exchange of charges
is known as the triboelectric effect.
Meanwhile, the metal brush found at the bottom of the roller is a good conductor
of electricity which means electrons move very easily through it. Because of the
electrostatic forces explained in Section C, remembering the fact that like charges repel,
the large build up of electrons in the roller will repel the electrons from the tips of the metal
brush. The repelled electrons will be repelled towards the end of the metal brush that is
grounded. This will result the metal brush to be positively charged. Now, there is an electric
field created between the positively charged metal brush, and the negatively charged roller.
As a result, electrons from the nearby air molecules break away from them and are attracted
to positively charged metal brush. The air molecules are now positively charged and are
attracted to the negatively charged roller. However, these positively charged ions are not
able to reach the roller as the belt is in the way. Instead, these positively charged ions
end up coating the outer surface of the belt and are carried to up to the upper part
of the generator.
The roller found at the upper part of the generator is usually made out of a material
that tends to lose electrons (e.g., aluminum). As the positively charged belt rubs against it,
the electrons jump from the aluminum roller to the belt, leaving the roller with a positive
charge. This positively charged roller attracts electrons from the upper metal brush, and

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will also repel the protons of the upper metal brush. Furthermore, the positively charged
roller will strip electrons from the air molecules. The positively charged air ions left behind
are then also repelled by the positively charged roller. All of the repelled positive charges
will be repelled to the end of the metal brush that is further away from the roller. Because
this end of the metal brush is connected to the metal sphere, these positive charges travel
towards the sphere and spread out across it. They will accumulate on the sphere, until an
object comes close enough to discharge them. Finally, as long as the motors keep turning
the rollers, this cycle will repeat once again.
This is basically how static electricity is applied in a Van de Graaff Generator.
However, not all Van de Graaff Generators operate in precisely the same way, although
the same fundamental principles are at work. For instance, the upper spheres of some
machines become negatively, instead of positively, charged, and some operate via a hand-
crank mechanism rather than a motor.
The following figure provides a brief summary on the flow of charges that has been
explained in Section D

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 III. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORKS
A. Conclusion
The Van de Graaff is an electrostatic generator which uses a moving belt to accumulate
electric charge on a hollow metal globe on the top of an insulated column, creating very
high electric potentials. It makes use of electrostatic principles such as Coulomb’s law,
the concept of like charges repelling and opposite charges attracting one another, and
electric potentials.
B. Future Works
To investigate how the Van de Graaff generator is used to accelerate electrons to sterilize
food and process materials, accelerate protons for nuclear physics experiments, and
produce energetic X-ray beams in nuclear medicine

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 IV. REFERENCES

How Van De Graaff Generators Work, National MagLab [online] Available from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y20lKZB5BR0&t=186s&ab_channel=NationalMagL
ab [Accessed 21 September 2021]

Van de Graaff Generator, Magnet Academy [online] Available from:

https://nationalmaglab.org/education/magnet-academy/watch-play/interactive/van-de-
graaff-generator [Accessed 21 September 2021]

Van de Graaff Generator Wonders, Science World [online] Available from:

https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/van-de-graaff-generator-wonders/ [Accessed 21
September 2021]