Static Electricity Lab, Daniel R. Barnes, Chemistry, 9/9/05 8:29:39 AM

Daniel R. BarnesName: ______Seat #: ______

Chemistry

5/24/2019 8:29:05 AMPeriod: ______Date: ______

Static Electricity Lab

PURPOSE: To witness the electrostatic forces that form the basis of interparticular attractions and repulsions. This force is responsible for atomic structure, bonding, ionization energy, and many other standards-related issues. (CA chem standards 2c especially, but also 1c, 2, 2a, and others)

MATERIALS: ring stand, ring clamp, plastic ruler, duct tape, transparent tape, thread, two balloons, pepper, head of hair (clean and dry), uncrushed aluminum soda can, sink w/faucet

PROCEDURE:

1. Attach a ring clamp to the very top of a very tall ring stand’s rod. Duct tape a plastic ruler to the ring clamp to extend the ring clamp’s length. Tie a piece of thread to the end of the ruler so that it hangs down about a foot away from the ring stand rod.

Inflate one balloon and tape it with transparent tape to the loose end of the thread. This is the “hanging” balloon.

2. Inflate the other balloon. This is the “free” balloon. Rub the free balloon against your hair a lot. What happens as you rub it?

______

3. The balloon is now charged with static electricity. It has stolen electrons from your hair. What kind of electric charge do the balloon and your hair have, now that the rubber has stolen electrons from your hair?

http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/212_fall2003.web.dir/David_Zumwalt/electrostatics.html

The balloon has a ______electric charge.

My hair has a ______electric charge.

4. Bring the charged balloon close to someone’s arm hair and/or someone’s head hair. What happens?

______

5. Charge up the free balloon. Place the soda can on the table on its side so it can roll. Bring the balloon close to it. What happens?

______

6. Charge up the free balloon. Turn on a faucet as little as possible to make a smooth stream of water come out. Bring the charged free balloon close to it. What happens?

______

7. Rub the free balloon on someone’s hair again to make sure it’s really good and charged up for the next part. Next, carefully rub the first balloon (the one hanging by the thread) on someone’s hair. Let the balloon on the string come to rest. Don’t let the balloon touch anything metal. Now, bring the free balloon close to the hanging balloon, but do not let them touch. Move the free balloon around the hanging balloon in a circle slowly, not letting them touch each other. What happens? Why?

______

8. Bring your hand close to the hanging balloon. What happens and why?

______

9. Charge the free balloon up again really good and sprinkle a tiny bit of pepper on the table. Bring the balloon close to the pepper slowly. What happens? Why?

______

10. Clean the pepper off the table. Ask your instructor for a hand broom or a rag if you don’t already have one.

PLEASE TURN OVER! THERE’S MORE ON THE BACK!

11. In the space below, draw pictures of everything that happened in the lab. Use lots of plusses and minuses to indicate what electrical charges there were on the various objects that got charged up. Label your pictures so it’s obvious what’s going on in each picture.

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