INTRODUCTION

Electrostatics is physics that deals with the interactions of static or non-moving charges.
It arises from the forces that electric charges exert on each other and are described by Coulomb's
law. Static electricity builds up on an object when the object gains electrons.
Bending water stream is one of the simplest experiment under electrostatics. It involves
only three experimental materials – a plastic rod, a cloth, and the most essential, water stream,
which is polar and has a dipole. However, there are also restrictions when performing the
experiment – such as the cloth must be made of wool or fur, and the water stream must be steady
and calm.
In this experiment, triboelectric charging process was used to charge an uncharged object.
This process involves the transfer of electrons to one another, creating friction. Objects losing
electrons becomes positively charged while objects gaining electrons becomes negatively
charged.

OBJECTIVES
This experiment aimed to bend water stream using a plastic rod rubbed on a piece of
cloth through the triboelectric process, or the charging by friction.

MATERIALS
This experiment used three different materials:
a. A plastic rod
b. A cloth – woolen/furry
c. Flowing water

PROCEDURES
The following below are the procedures of the experiment:
1. Turn on the switch where the water flow.
2. Rub the PVC pipe into the woolen/furry cloth.
3. Place the PVC pipe towards the water stream.

DATA AND RESULTS

CONDITIONS DEFINITION MEDIA
When the three materials The plastic rod and cloth were
remain untouched neutrally-charged. Water is also
neutrally-charged, however, it
has an equal charge distribution.
Because of the unequal charge
distribution, it is classified as
polar. The water molecule also
 has both a positive and a
negative end, so it has a dipole.
Friction transfers electrons
between them, causing one
object to gain electrons (plastic
rod) and the other to lose its
When the plastic rod is electrons (cloth). As the
being rubbed to the cloth transferring of electrons occur,
we noticed that the plastic rod
was a little hot because objects
gaining electrons increase its
temperature.
As the plastic rod approached
the water stream, the water
bends. The water has a dipole,
When the negatively-
and when the negatively-charged
charged plastic rod was
rod was placed near the water,
placed toward the water
the positive end of the water
stream
molecules were attracted,
causing the stream to bend
towards the rod.

CONCLUSION
When the two objects are rubbed together, friction transfers electrons between them.
Objects losing electrons becomes positively charged while objects gaining electrons becomes
negatively charged. Water is neutrally-charged, but it has an unequal charge distribution, which
is why it is called polar – the water molecule has a positive and a negative end – it has a dipole.
When the water molecules align, the positive ends of the molecules are attracted to the plastic
rod (which is negatively-charged), causing the stream to bend toward the rod.

REFERENCES
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