Bad Hair Day - a.k.a. Static Electricity

Last week I read all about electricity: static, current, and electromagnetism.  This week, I get to do science experiments all week long to apply what I read in books.  

Today, my mom and I focused on static electricity.  Here's what you need to know before we get started:

All atoms have electrons.  All matter has atoms.  When you rub matter together, there is an exchange of electrons, creating positively charged and negatively charged matter.  Opposites attract and likes repel.  So an item with positive static electricity will be attracted to an item with negative.  But two items with the same charge will be repeled.  Also, matter with a charge is attracted to neutral matter.

Here are my experiments that helped me learn all of that.

Charge It

Materials:

Balloon

Plastic comb

Pieces of tissue paper

Methods:

1.  Rub a balloon on your hair for several minutes.

2.  Stick the balloon to a wall.  

3.  Rub a comb through your crazy hair.

4.  Run the comb above the paper.

Hypothesis:

The static electricity created by rubbing a balloon on my head will transfer to the comb and will make the comb a paper magnet.

Observations:

1.  Rubbing the balloon on my hair made my hair stand up.

2.  After rubbing for several minutes, the balloon stuck to the wall and stayed there.

3.  After combing my hair, the comb easily picked up the paper from two inches away.

Conclusions:
When you rub the balloon on your hair, the balloon and your hair become charged with static electricity.  Their charges are opposite because your hair and the balloon are attracted to each other.

When you take the electrically charged balloon and put it against a neutral wall, the balloon will stick to the wall and stay put.

When you comb your electrically charged hair, you create an electrical charge on the comb, which allows it to pick up the paper, because the comb and the paper have opposite charges.

Spark Some Static Electricity

Materials:
2 balloons
String
2 straws
Sweater

Methods:
1.  Tie two balloons on the opposite ends of a piece of string.
2.  Rub the balloons against a sweater.
3.  Hang the balloons by the middle of the string and watch how they behave.
4.  Tie a piece of string around the middle of one of the straws.
5.  Rub both straws against the sweater or your hair.
6.  Hang the straw on the string in the air.  Put the other straw near the straw on the string and watch how they behave.

Hypothesis:
The balloons and the straws will repel each other.

Observations:
1.  Before rubbing the balloons on the sweater, the ballons touched each other when hanging from the string.
2.  After rubbing them on the sweater, the repelled and did not touch.
3.  Before rubbing the straws, they touched each other with no problems.
4.  After rubbing them, they played tag.

Conclusions:
Before rubbing the balloons/straws, they did not have a static electric charge, so they could sit side by side with no problems.  After rubbing them on the sweater (or your hair), they were charged with static electricity (or attitude).  They were the same matter, so they had the same charge.  Like charges repel, so they couldn't stand to touch or be around each other.

Magic Static Tube

Materials:
Test tube
Styrofoam beads
Balloon
Sequins (optional)

Methods:
1.  Put a tablespoon of styrofoam beads in the test tube.  You can also use sequins, or both.  You should only fill the test tube halfway.
2.  Rub the balloon in your hair for a few minutes.
3.  Pass the balloon near the tube and watch how the beads/sequins behave.

Hypothesis:
The beads will jump to the balloon because of the static electricity.  You will have mad-scientist hair!

Observations:
1.  Before rubbing the balloon on my head, there was no reaction when the balloon and the styrofoam beads in the test tube were next to each other.
2.  After rubbing the balloon on my head, the beads tried to jump to the balloon, but the test tube kept them contained.

Conclusions:

By rubbing the balloon on my head, it picked up electrons that gave it a negative charge.  This charge pulls on the beads (that must have a positive charge, because opposites attract) making the beads jump towards the balloon.  

In My Own Words

Here's what I learned today:

Opposites attract.

Likes repel.

Electrons jump from one thing to another when rubbed together, creating static electricity.

Static electricity makes my hair throw a temper-tantrum.

My Mom says that's good enough.

Signing Off,

Evalynn and Mom