Demonstrations

Electrostatic Charges

Code Number :	5A10.10
Disclaimer:	Reprinted by permission of Dick Berg, University of Maryland, for use on this website. The demonstrations contained and referenced herein are listed for the purposes of cataloging and describing physics demonstrations which should be conducted only under the direction of a trained instructional support professional or physicist. These demonstrations are not presented for the purpose of being conducted by persons unconnected to this Facility and/or persons not consulting with or being supervised by the recognized instructional support professional or physicist and his/her staff. The University is responsible only for those demonstrations carried out using its own equipment using established safety and scheduling policies, and bears no responsibility for those choosing to use this source material for their own purposes. All demonstrations described and contained herein are public domain, and can also be found in reference materials in libraries, bookstores, and electronic sources. Further information regarding legal liability in use of demonstrations and labs will be found on the web site Injuries in School/College Laboratories in USA. The University of Iowa Disclaimers: University of Iowa Disclaimer All Rights Reserved..
Condition :	Good
Principle :	Electrostatics
Area of Study :	Electricity & Magnetism
Equipment :	Ebonite Rod, Lucite Rod, Glass Rod, Cats Fur, Silk, Latex Rubber, Desiccators with Drying Agent, Electrometer, Wire Cage and Charging Paddle, Electroscope, Pith-balls.
Procedure :	During high humidity months the cats fur and silk cloth should be desiccated overnight. The glass rod and silk will give a positive charge. The clear acrylic rod when rubbed with silk will also give a positive charge. The ebonite and cats fur will be negatively charged as will the Lucite rod and latex. The PVC rod rubbed with cats fur will also give a negative charge. The Lucite rod will be charged only where the rod was rubbed. Add some humor to the lecture. Instead of using the PVC rod and cats fur, try the pink flamingo and the oven bag as your charging pair. A Zigmund Peacock original.

Websites

Electrostatic Caused Fire During Car Refueling

http://www.pei.org/index.aspx?p=stop_static

"The history of electrostatics, Ben Franklin"
http://www.fi.edu/franklin/rotten.html

References

Martin Gardner, "Physics Trick of the Month - Knock Off the Match," TPT, Vol. 38, # 3, p. 191, (March 2000).

Walter Roy Mellen, "Inexpensive Electrostatic Halos," TPT, Vol. 28, # 9, p. 612, (Dec. 1990).

Walter Connolly, "Apparatus for Teaching Physics," TPT, Vol. 27, # 9, p. 686, (Dec. 1989).

Walter Roy Mellen, "Inexpensive Fun with Electrostatics," TPT, Vol. 27, # 2, p. 86, (Feb. 1989).

Clifford Bettis, "Do Physics Teachers Conserve Charge?", TPT, Vol. 27, # 3, Mar. 1989, p. 271.

Bob Hetzel, "Sweater Charge", TPT, Vol. 24, # 1, Jan. 1986, p. 55.

David S. Martin, "Second Look at Static Charge", TPT, Vol. 24 # 8, Nov. 1986, p. 459.

Earl Zwicker, Bob Hetzel, "Response", TPT, Vol. 24, # 8, Nov. 1986, p. 459.

Herbert Gottlieb, Franklin Miler, Jr., "Why do Unlike Charges Attract Each Other?", TPT, Vol. 17, # 3. Mar. 1979, p. 198.

Robert P. Barrett, "A Confession", TPT, Vol. 17, # 6, Sept. 1979, p. 406.

Duane K. Fowler, "More on Unlike Charges", TPT, Vol. 17, # 7, Oct. 1979, p. 416.

Matt Young, "On the Vagueness of the Void", TPT, Vol. 18, # 1, Jan. 1979, p. 10.

Robert P. Lanni, "Electrostatics Demonstrations", TPT, Vol. 7, # 9, Dec. 1969, p. 513.

W.R. Moreau, S.G. Ryan, S.J. Beuzenberg, and R.W.G. Syme, "Charge Density in Circuits," AJP, 53 (6), June 1985.

E-015: "Plastic Tubes - Rods & Cloth," DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook.

Ea-1, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23 : Freier and Anderson, A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.

33, Stangl, " Static Electricity," Science Toolbox, p. 81.

Shar Levine, Leslie Johnstone, "Chapter 20: Shake a Leg" p. 61, Silly Science.

"Positive and Negative Charges," Physics From the Junk Drawer, 3rd Edition, The Science House, North Carolina State University, p. 29.

Mail Questions and Comments to: Dale Stille