Electricity and Magnetism

Electricity and Magnetism

Lab 1- Static Electricity

DO NOT ALLOW THE BALLOON, FUR, OR WOOL TO GET WET!!!!!!!!!

I. Problem: What is Static Electricity?

II. Hypothesis:

III. Materials:

* Rod

* Piece of wool (or fur)

* Saran Wrap (or silk)

* Balloon

* Comb

* Small ball of Styrofoam

* Silk thread

IV. Procedure:

1. Slowly drag the comb across a water faucet, or draw it through your fingers.

2. Hold the comb near but not touching some small bits of paper. What do you observe?

3. Rapidly pull the comb through clean dry hair several times, or rub the comb with wool.

4. Now bring the comb near a few tiny pieces of paper (less than ½ inch in diameter). What do you observe?

5. Was the comb charged by friction or conduction?

6. Does the comb cause the paper to become charged by conduction or induction?

7. Does the paper get charged with a charge that is like or unlike the charge on the comb?

8. Vigorously rub a balloon through your hair or rub it with the wool, then touch it to the wall. What happens?

9. How does the wall become charged, by induction or conduction?

10. Is the charge on the wall like or unlike the charge on the balloon?

11. Once again, rub the balloon through your hair then touch it to a water faucet or other metal surface. (Metal moldings in the doorway would be good to use). What do you observe?

12. Now put the balloon next to the wall again. What happens?

NOTE: Metal is a good conductor of electric charge. The metal will carry the charge on the balloon to the ground, which leaves the balloon neutrally charged.

13. Is the charge flow from the balloon to the metal and from the metal to the ground an example of conduction or induction?

14. When a balloon is rubbed through your hair it picks up electrons from your hair by friction; therefore, does the balloon become negatively or positively charged?

15. Does this leave your hair positively or negatively charged?

16. Rub the balloon through your hair to charge it again. Now bring the balloon near a small stream of water from a water faucet. Do not allow the balloon to touch the water. What happens?

17. Is the water being charged by conduction or induction?

18. Is the part of the stream near the balloon negative, positive, or neutral?

19. Now allow the stream of water to touch the negatively charged balloon. What happens? DRY THE BALLOON AFTER!!!

20. When the water touches the balloon does the balloon seem to be gaining charge or losing charge?

NOTE: The water carries the charge away from the balloon and into the ground. This leaves the balloon neutral instead of negatively charged.

21. Dry the balloon and recharge it. What do you think will happen if you touch a charged balloon to a metal surface which touches the ground before you bring the balloon near the water?

22. Let’s find out? Charge the balloon, then touch all sides of the balloon to the metal faucet, then bring the balloon near the stream of water. What happens?

23. Charge a balloon and bring it near the Styrofoam ball. What happens?

24. Bring a glass rod near the Styrofoam ball. What happens?

25. Rub the glass rod with a piece of silk and then bring it near the Styrofoam ball again. What happens?

26. Try charging five other objects in the classroom and bringing them near the Styrofoam ball as well. What happens?

V. Conclusion: