Demonstrations

Wimshurst Generator

Code Number :	5A50.10
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 :	Wimshurst generator, Bell Chimes, Rotating Disk, Lucite Stand for Disk and Chimes.
Procedure :	The Wimshurst Generator and Leyden Jar storage system will work under all conditions. The bell chimes and rotating disks will work with either the Van de Graff or the Wimshurst machine, although the Wimshurst is preferable because it does not make as much noise.

References

Walter Connolly. "The Automatic Electrophorus." TPT, , Vol. 29, # 4, p. 225, (April 1991).

B. Nuner, "An Alternate Brush Material for Electrostatic Generators", TPT, Vol. 26, # 5, May 1988, p. 265.

H. N. Pienaar, "An Electrostatic Friction Machine", TPT, Vol. 3, # 5, May 1965, p. 227.

Markus Zahn, Richard L. Goslin, Larry F. Wicks, "Self-Excited, Alternating, High-Voltage Generation Using a Modified Electrostatic Influence Machine", AJP, Vol. 42, # 4, Apr. 1974, p. 289.

Ea-22: Freier and Anderson, A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.

E-180: "Dielectric Breakdown - Spheres," DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook.

E-26: Richard Manliffe Sutton, Demonstration Experiments in Physics.

H. N. Pienaar, "An Electrostatic Friction Machine," Apparatus for Teaching Physics, p. 61.

R.A. Ford, "Liquid, Gas, and Vacuum Chambers," Homemade Lightning, p. 69 - 70.

Urs Lauterburg, "Wimshurst Generator Renovation," PIRA News, Vol. 16, # 1, p. 5, Fall 2001.

James Wimshurst, "The Form of Influence-Machine", Proc. Phys. Soc. London, Vol. 12, p. 403, (1892)

Mail Questions and Comments to: Dale Stille