Static Electricity

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Static Electricity
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Model Of An Atom An atom is made up of three
parts electrons, protons, and neutrons.
Red Protons Blue Neutrons Black Electrons
Protons Positive Charge Neutrons No
Charge Electrons Negative
Charge
Electrons orbit around the protons and neutrons
which together form the nucleus.
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What does this have to do
with static electricity ?
Well when an atom has an equal number of protons
and electrons it is considered to have a neutral
charge.
Electrons sometimes move from one atom to another
which causes the protons and electrons to no
longer be equal.
The imbalance between the negative and positive
particles create static electricity.
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Experiment Time

• Blow up one balloon and tie it off.
• Now rub the balloon on your head for 15 seconds.
• Try and stick the balloon to someones shirt.
• Answer the following questions on a separate
  piece of paper

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Questions????

• What happened to the balloon when you stuck it on
  the shirt?
• Why do you think this happened?
• What would happen if you didnt rub your head on
  the balloon?

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So Why does a balloon stick to the shirt after
I rub my head on it?
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gtRubbing the balloon against your hair has moved
electrons from you to the balloon causing the
balloon to have a negative charge. gtThe shirt
has a neutral charge which means it has an equal
number of protons and electrons. gtHolding the
balloon to the shirt allows the negative charge
of the balloon to pull out the positive charge in
the shirt. The picture on the right illustrates
what is occurring.
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Why does the balloon pull out the positive
particles?
It pulls the positive particles from the shirt
because opposites attract. Since the balloon has
a negative charge it is looking for a positive
charge to attract to. Just like a magnet. If the
shirt was negatively charged the balloon would
have not stuck because there was no attraction.
This is called repelling.
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Time for the FINAL EXPERIMENT
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• Materials Needed
• One balloon
• One empty soda can
• A piece of paper
• Your hair

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Directions

• Lay the soda can on its side on a flat surface
  until it is no longer moving.
• Rub a balloon against your head.
• Place the balloon by the soda can.
• Observe what is happening and answer the
  following questions on a separate piece of paper.

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The Final

• What happened to the can when you placed the
  balloon besides it?
• Why did this happen?
• How can you make the can move even faster?

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Congratulations!!! You have made it to the end.