Static attraction power trials
As with all static electricity demonstrations this works best when it is cold outdoors and warm and dry inside. It also works best when the students have dry hands because moisture in the palms dampens the effect.
Objectives:
Compare the charging power of wool to that of cotton, conduct data trials in writing to see patterns and draw conclusions.
Materials: Click here for the student data collection sheet.
Procedure:
Have the students sprinkle confetti on their desk. Have the students charge their balloons with one of the two materials. It doesn't matter which material is tried first as long as the students write the quantity in the correct column of their data sheet. Then pass them over the confetti. They count and record the number of all the bits attracted to the balloon. Repeat this at least three times, recording the number of bits of paper that were attracted to the balloon each time. In my classroom it took careful modeling to show the first graders where to write the quantities.
Then have students repeat the exact same procedure with the other column except that now they are charging their balloon with a different material. Is there a difference in the number of bits attracted? Model how to total the columns on the worksheet. Which material charges the balloons the best? Does one material charge the balloons more powerfully than the other? Think of all the differences between the two sets of trials.
Enrichment:
Give each student a piece of white paper only a few square inches large. Sprinkle (have the materials managers distribute) a generous amount of black pepper on each page. When students charge their balloons they can pass them over the pepper and see it swirl and move on the paper! Bits of the pepper will fly up to attract to the balloon!
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