STATIC ELECTRICITY

John Wash & Chris Benedik

STATIC ELECTRICITY •BACKGROUND•Every atom has a nucleus. Within that nucleus there are the same number of protons and neutrons.•The electrons of an atom surround the nucleus and are bound to the nucleus by the electromagnetic force.•Protons have positive charges, and electrons negative charges.•Typically, they balance each other, but sometimes when two surfaces rub together, some of the electrons rub off one surface onto the other, and we can have static electricity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-77IzaXGcg

VOCABULARY BOX:Attract Repel Conductor Insulator Protons Electrons Neutrons AtomsNucleus

STATIC ELECTRICITY ACTIVITY Swinging Materials Cereal Activity: A balloon, thread, small pieces of dry cereal (O-shapes, or puffed rice of wheat), a piece of wool, a piece of nylon, plastic bag, aluminum foil and plastic forks.

Step 1:Tie a piece of the cereal to one end of a 12 inch piece of thread. Find a place to attach the other end so that the cereal does not hang close to anything else.

Step 2: Charge the balloon by rubbing the balloon on a piece of wool.

Step 3: Slowly bring the balloon near the cereal. Watch what happens.

Step 4: Rub the balloon with a piece of wool again and rub aluminum foil on the piece of cereal. Watch what happens.

STATIC ELECTRICITY ACTIVITY •Rubbing different materials together may produce static electricity. Like charges repel each other, and unlike charges attract each other. What results will you get if you substitute a different object for the balloon? For example, what happens if you rub a plastic fork with each material?

Cereal rubbed with wool

Cereal rubbed with a plastic bag

Cereal rubbed with aluminum foil

Plastic fork rubbed with wool

Plastic fork rubbed with a plastic bag

Plastic fork rubbed with aluminum foil

STATIC SAY WHAT? •What are some ways we encounter static electricity in our daily lives?

•What are some ways we can reduce static electricity in our daily lives?

•Can you name some conductors and insulators?

STATIC ELECTRICITY •Static electricity in our lives: door knob, clothes sticking, feet on carpet, plastic slides, cleaning television

•Reduce Static: increase humidity in your home, clothes with natural fibers, anti-static hand lotion, electrostatic wipes, antistatic mats, walk barefoot

•Insulators: rubber, plastic, glass, wood, oil, dry cotton, dry paper, pure water, asphalt •Conductors: copper, aluminum, silver, gold, dirty water, concrete

STATIC ELECTRICITY USES IN OUR WORLD

•Air Purifiers/Air Ionizers•Copy Machines•Car Painting•Printers•Aircraft Refueling•Cleaning of smoke from coal-fired power plants•Painting Refrigerator•Quality of sandpaper