Static Electricity or Electrostatics

Part 1:

You are asked to make observations throughout the procedure and to record them. In step 1C you are asked to make predictions before performing the test

 Questions:

A. What happened when you brought the rubbed ruler close to the paper, salt, and pepper? 

1. Were all three substances affected equally?

2. What explanations can you offer for why this happened?

B. What combinations of cloth and ruler seemed to produce the greatest effects?

Part 2:

Again, you are asked to make observations throughout the procedure and to record them. "What do you observe when the strips are far apart?"

"What do you observe when the strips are brought close together?"

"What happens as you separate these?"

Questions:

Why do you think the charged ruler affected the original suspended strip as it did?

What happened when you brought the two separated tapes close to each other? What explanations can you offer for this?

How many types of charge did you work with in this activity? How do you know?

If a third type of charge existed, how would it affect the two oppositely charged strips in this activity?

Why do you think the charged ruler affected the two suspended tapes as it did?

How would you explain the attraction or repulsion between each of the suspended tapes and the uncharged paper strip?

How would you explain the fact that a charged ruler can attract an uncharged object like the paper bits, salt and pepper?

Part 3:

Again, you are asked to make observations in each step of the procedure and to record them. "What conclusions can you make regarding charged Styrofoam?

 Part 4:

Again, you are asked to make observations throughout the procedure and to record them.

What can you make the balloon stick to? Does it stick better to some surfaces? Why?

Does rubbing with fur work as well as, better than, or worse than if you rub the balloon against your hair instead?

How does the rubbed balloon affect the paper bits?

Does the same thing happen when other charged objects are brought near the water?

Part 5:

Again, you are asked to make observations in each step of the procedure and to record them.

A. "Why does this happen? Use appropriate diagrams to help you explain". 

B. "What does this observation mean in terms of the charge on the ball and the ruler?"

"Exactly what was the purpose of touching the ball while the ruler was nearby?

"Draw appropriate diagrams to support your verbal descriptions. You should draw more than one illustrative diagram for this section."

C. Describe what you observe just after they touch. Explain why this happens in both words and appropriate diagrams.