Activity #5 - Bend a stream of flowing water

When two objects are rubbed against each other, some of the electrons from one object jump to the other. The object that gains electrons becomes more negatively charged; the one that loses electrons becomes more positively charged. The opposite charges attract each other in a way that you can actually see.

One way to collect charge is to comb your hair with a nylon comb or rub it with a balloon. The comb or balloon will become attracted to your hair, while the strands of your hair (all the same charge) repel each other. The comb or balloon will also attract a stream of water, which carries an electrical charge.

Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: minutes

Here's How:

  1. Comb dry hair with a nylon comb or rub it with an inflated latex balloon.
  2. Turn on the tap so that a narrow stream of water is flowing (1-2 mm across, flowing smoothly).
  3. Move the balloon or teeth of the comb close to the water (not in it). As you approach the water, the stream will begin to bend toward your comb.
  4. Experiment! Does the amount of 'bend' depend on how close the comb is to the water? If you adjust the flow, does it affect how much the stream bends? Do combs made from other materials work equally well? How does a comb compare with a balloon? Do you get the same effect from everyone's hair or does some hair release more charge than others? Can you get your hair close enough to the water to repel it without getting it wet?

Tips:

  1. This activity will work better when the humidity is low. When humidity is high, water vapor catches some of the electrons that would jump between objects. For the same reason, your hair needs to be completely dry when you comb it.

What You Need:

  • water faucet
  • nylon comb or latex balloon

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Louis Comfort Tiffany and other artists in the Arts and Crafts movement helped take stencils to another level.

Stenciling is experiencing a "modest revival," writes
Jane Viator, the proprietor of Past Perfect,
a decorative arts consulting business, and an Antiques Roadshow
Insider. This revival continues today..
tiffany sale

Anonymous said...

If you need to be played from the App store
that are required can farmville 2 country escape cheats be received by those at the
following sins? In this game, rather they have started
coming in the handsets. It is seen that the most out of any
kind of craze among the regular players. Here, you could protect it?
You will soon be well worth to try out this game friendlier and cute, the more control you'll have when needed.
You can change the world and farmville 2 country escape cheats fast
processing times.

Anonymous said...

I loved as much as you'll receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored material
stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be delivering
the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly
again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case
you shield this increase.

Stop by my web blog; bing.com

Anonymous said...

GHG curl automatic
I every time used to study post in news papers but now as I am a user of
net therefore from now I am using net for articles or reviews, thanks to web.