What is static charge?

This lab exercise uses ordinary household materials to explore static charge.

A lesson plan for grades 9–12 Science

By Leigh Kiser

Learn more

• The Discovery of the Electron An online exhibit on J.J. Thompson's experiments and theories of the electron
• The Static Electricity Page A page about static electricity with ideas for experiments and devices you can build

Related pages

• Magnetic magic: Students will explore and experiment with a magnet's mysterious invisible strength by rotating through five hands-on centers.
• What's the matter?: Students will categorize matter according to its properties.
• Light, camera, action! Shadows?: This lesson will demonstrate how the position of a light source or direction of light and the time of the day will affect the shadow images that are depicted in our environment over a period of time.

Related topics

• Learn more about physics and physical science and science.

Help

Please read our disclaimer for lesson plans.

Legal

Learning outcomes

• To work cooperatively and effectively towards a common goal.
• To demonstrate the ability to observe and analyze information obtained.
• To find out how objects obtain an electric charge.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

30 minutes

Materials/resources

• Part 1: ruler, hole punch, tissue paper
• Part 2: balloon, cloth (wool, rabbit fur, cotton)
• Part 3: plastic wrap, cotton cloth, hole punch, aluminum foil

Activities

Part 1: Obtain a plastic ruler. Tear some tissue into tiny pieces and scatter them on your desktop. Rub the plastic ruler briskly across your hair several times and slowly lower it near the paper.

Part 2: Charge a balloon by rubbing it with a cloth. Then bring the balloon near your sleeve.

Part 3: Obtain a piece of plastic food wrap, about thirty-by-thirty-centimeters. Lay it on a tabletop and smooth it down flat with a cotton cloth. Use a hole punch to make round chips of aluminum foil. Put the foil chips in a pile in the center of the plastic wrap. Lift the plastic wrap slowly from the desk and observe the response of the aluminum.

Assessment

Part 1: Observe what happens. Touch the ruler with your other hand lower it to paper again. What happens now?

Part 2: What happens to the balloon when you rub it? What causes the balloon to stick to your shirt?

Part 3: Observe how the aluminum chips react to the plastic. How do they react to each other? Would paper chips respond the same way?

How would you summarize the behavior of electrically charged objects?

Also, when they finish the lab, come back as a big group to compare outcomes. Let each group respond to each question.

Supplemental information

Thompson, Marilyn, Charles W. McLaughlin, and Richard G. Smith. MERRILL PHYSICAL SCIENCE. New York, NY: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 1995.

Comments

This is a good way to kick off the static electricty unit. It is alot of fun, and they find out they do not know everything about static charge.