Van de Graaff - Aluminum Foil Rockets


 

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Disclaimer:

Reprinted by permission of Dick Berg, University of Maryland, for use on this website.

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Condition :   Good  
Principle :   Electrostatics  
Area of Study :  Electricity & Magnetism   
Equipment :   Van de Graaff Generator, Aluminum Foil Rockets.

 

Procedure :   The way that works best with our apparatus is to turn on an ungrounded Van de Graaff, bring the aluminum foil about 2 ft. from the dome and let go.  The aluminum foil rocket should travel toward the dome and fly about the bottom portion of the dome much like a hummingbird.

The traditional way to do this is to position a grounded point about 2 ft. from the Van de Graaff dome.  The rocket would then remain in the region between the dome and the point.

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   References

Robert Liefeld and Scott Spray, "Levitating Spinners", TPT, Vol. 21, # 9, Dec. 1983, p. 592.

R. D. Redin, "Demonstration of Dipole Lines of Force", AJP, Vol. 45, # 8, Aug. 1977, p. 772.

 

Homemade Lightening,  "Miscellaneous Experiments: The Levitating Rocket,"  R. A. Ford. p. 160.



Mail Questions and Comments to:  Dale Stille