| Objective | | | | One of the methods used in science fair experiments |
| You will be making your own electroscope and testing | | | | to create a static electric charge is to rub a |
| the ability of various materials to conduct static | | | | Styrofoam plate with some wool. This produces a |
| electricity. You will also be making a list or triboelectric | | | | negative charge on the Styrofoam plate surface. Now |
| series which arranges materials according to their | | | | lift your electroscope by holding the Styrofoam cup |
| ability to conduct electrons. | | | | and place it over the charged Styrofoam plate. What |
| Introduction | | | | happens? The aluminum foil ball moves away from the |
| When and electric charge is built up in an object, it is | | | | rim of the pie pan. |
| called static electricity. Sometimes, this static electricity | | | | Why did this happen? When you placed the |
| can be discharged suddenly, as seen in a lightning bolt | | | | electroscope on the Styrofoam plate, the negatively |
| across the sky. At other times, this static electricity | | | | charged electrons travelled to the pie pan and then to |
| causes a static cling that is seen on socks just | | | | the foil ball. Since same charges repel, the ball moved |
| removed from the dryer. Static cling occurs when two | | | | away from the rim of the pan. |
| objects having different charges such as positive (+) | | | | Now touch the pan and the foil ball with the tip of your |
| and negative (-) come together. Static electricity can | | | | finger and see what happens. The ball will return to |
| be produced as well as tested using various science | | | | normal as it was before, because the electrons were |
| fair experiments. | | | | transferred to your finger and the pan and the ball |
| During science fair experiments, static electricity can | | | | were discharged. |
| be measured using an electroscope. You will build your | | | | Procedure |
| own electroscope to test various materials and find | | | | Now it's time to test different materials. |
| out which ones conduct more static electricity. | | | | |
| Materialsfoam plate, Balloon, foam cup, clay, drinking | | | | 1. Charge different materials with static electricity. You |
| straw, aluminum pie pan, aluminum foil, thread, wooden | | | | may use materials such as a plastic wrap, a woolen |
| ruler, masking tape, different materials for testing such | | | | scarf, a fleece sweater, an aluminum sheet, a balloon, |
| as nylon, polyester, cotton, aluminum, plastic, copper, | | | | and so on. |
| wool, tissue paper, saran wrap, and so on. | | | | 2. Now test each charged material with your |
| Preparation | | | | electroscope. |
| Making your electroscope | | | | 3. Measure how far the ball is from the pan with a |
| Pierce a Styrofoam cup by pushing a skewer near the | | | | ruler. |
| base and make holes for a straw to pass through. Put | | | | 4. Write down the distance in a table. |
| a drinking straw through the cup by putting it in these | | | | 5. Make a note of which materials can carry an |
| holes and push it till it sticks out on one side. Now invert | | | | electric charge and which ones do not. |
| the cup and stick it strongly with clay on an upright pie | | | | 6. Since recording data is an important step in science |
| pan. | | | | fair experiments, you must arrange your data in order |
| Make a few knots at one end a thread and make a | | | | with the most charged ones followed by the least |
| marble-sized ball with a piece of aluminum foil at the | | | | charged ones. This is called a Triboelectric Series. |
| knotted end. Now tape the free end of the string to | | | | Now that you are equipped with some great ideas, I'd |
| the straw that is sticking out of the cup in such a way | | | | like to give you something more in order to ensure |
| that the ball hangs from the straw and touches the rim | | | | your success. Here's your free copy of "Easy Steps |
| of the pie pan. Secure the straw with a tape so that it | | | | to Award-Winning Science Fair Projects" which you |
| does not move. | | | | can immediately download from the link below. |
| Testing your electroscope | | | | |