By: Gail A. Conwell

6th Grade

Period:1

2nd Quarter 2010

Robert Louis Stevenson l Middle School

Lightning is a giant spark in the sky Until the 1700’s lighting was a mystery Lighting strikes on the earth 100 times

a second In 1752 Scientist Benjamin Franklin

found out that lightning is electrical

Will lightning be brighter and louder inside or outside ?

If I make lightning inside then it will be brighter and louder outside.

The items I will be testing will be making lightning indoors and outdoors.

The things that I will keep the same is the procedure and testing lightning indoors and outdoors.

Foil pie plate Ball point pen Tack Styrofoam Glue (if needed) Video Camera

First you need to get materialsGather materials on counterPlace the tack in the pie plate (bottom up)

the sharp point should be sticking out of the pie plate

Place the back of the pen into the tack use glue if you need to

After that do not touch the experiment with your hands you cant do it if you do.

Take the sock and rub it on the styrofoam quickly. This will create a negative charge to make the lightning spark

Pick up the pie plate and place it on top of the styrofoam

Bring your finger to the pie plate with out touching it

Turn off the lights and see the spark

Date Indoors Outdoors10/24 I was able to hear and feel the

lightningI could hear it a little bit

11/10 I could barely hear any thing I could not hear any thing

11/11 I saw a little bright blue light and heard it

I could hear it a little bit

11/25 I was able to hear and feel the lightning

I could hear it a little bit

11/26 I could barely hear any thing I could not hear anything

11/28 I was able to hear and feel the lightning

I could hear it a little bit

I tried to make lighting outside but some times that doesn’t work.

Making lighting in the winter time, rainy season, did not work because there is too much moisture in the air.

My experiment always worked better indoors rather than outdoors.

After researching why my experiment did not work as well outside, the reason is there is more humidity in the air outside than inside during the winter months in Saint Helena.

My original hypothesis was incorrect because there is more humidity in the outside air.

The more humid the air the harder it is to create lightning with this experiment.

Thank You’sI thank Mr. Pham for guidance and advice I also thank my mom and dad for helping

when I got stuck or frustratedI also thank uncle bob for helping figure out

how it works Work-cited :Uman, Martin A. “Lightning.”World book

Advanced,2010.Web.26.Oct.2010