A lot of things in our lives use electricity. It’s not just when you turn on the lights. The tiny electric currents in your body are what let you feel, think, and move, so they’re essential. Have you ever felt a slight shock when you shake hands? Static electricity is to blame for that. We can all make our own. Recent breakthroughs have made it possible to charge phones with static electricity, which could make carrying around power banks a thing of the past, so we don’t have to.
But static electricity isn’t just for practical reasons. It can also be a bunch of fun to play with! Here are six static electricity experiments that you can do at home to see the power of static electricity for yourself! Do them in a wide-open area with an adult’s help, even though they aren’t that hard. Always be careful!
Contents
1. Plastic Bag in the Air
Remember when the Harry Potter cast used the “Wingardium Leviosa” charm to make their feathers float? So now, you can do it too, thanks to the power of static electricity!
What you need:
a plastic rod, a piece of Cloth, and a light-weight plastic bag
Steps:
- Do this for 40 seconds. Rub the exterior of the rod with the Material.
- A cloth should be rubbed against a plastic bag’s surface for 40 seconds.
- As soon as you allow go of the plastic bag, watch it float away as you wave a rod below.
How it works:
After you rub them with a material, the rod and the Cloth become more negatively charged, too. Like charges repel, the plastic bag makes it look like it’s pulling away from the person inside.
2. Static electricity is used to roll a can
Even if you don’t touch it, you can make a can roll around with static electricity.
What you need:
It could be a plastic rod or just some kind of Cloth.
Steps:
- Do this for 40 seconds. Rub the exterior of the rod with the Material.
- On a flat and smooth surface, put the can.
- Close the Cloth to the can without touching it, and watch as it moves with the rod. You can visit how it proceeds with the rod.
How it works:
Static electricity is made by rubbing the rod with the Cloth. The rod, which has added electrons, now has a negative charge. When two opposites are near each other, they tend to get together.
3. Static Electricity Makes Your Hair Stand Up
Was your hair frizzy and fly-away on a plane? Well, you can now do the same thing with a balloon!
What you need:
the balloon is inflated, and a piece of Cloth
Steps:
- The Cloth should be rubbed on the surface of the balloon for 40 seconds before you stop.
- Hold the balloon a few feet above your head and see how your hair starts to stick.
How it works:
In this case, the balloon gets electrons from the Cloth and becomes negatively charged, which makes it more attracted to your hair, which is positively charged.
4. Pepper and Salt Separation
Make a static electricity experiment to separate the salt and pepper from the chips if you don’t like salt and pepper chips.
What you need:
A plastic spoon with salt and pepper on it & Cloth
Steps:
- Mix a teaspoon of salt and pepper generously.
- Do this for 40 seconds and then take a towel and rub the spoon.
- The spoon should be held over the mix. As soon as the pepper hits the scoop, it will jump up and stick (if you have the spoon over the right spots)
How it works:
Both the salt and pepper granules are charged with electricity. The spoon, given electrons by the Cloth, attracts positive charges in the mix because it has more electrons. But the lighter pepper will be easier to move and stick to the spoon.
5. Using Static Electricity, you can bend the water
This is a lot like how the Water Tribe learned to bend water by watching the moon’s tidal force. You can currently do the same thing with static electricity!
What you need:
a plastic rod with a piece of Cloth and running water
Steps:
- Do this for 40 seconds.
- Turn on the faucet, so there is a steady flow of water.
- Put the rod near the water and watch it “bend” around.
How it works:
There are electrons in the water that the negatively-charged rod wants to get rid of. This gives the water near the rod a reasonable charge. There’s a lot of force on the water because of these positive and negative charges. This lets you ‘bend’ water.
6. Plates That Float
Magnets aren’t the only things that don’t like each other. Some things don’t like each other.
What you need:
A piece of Cloth with two Styrofoam plates on top of it
Steps:
- Cloth: Rub the bottom of a plate with it.
- The plate should be on a flat surface.
- Try to put the other plate on the other container with the base down. Then, watch as they fall away.
How it works:
Using your hands to rub things together can build electricity, which is why this trick works. The plate gets electrons from the Cloth and is now negatively charged. Here, we have electrons that don’t like electrons on the other scale.
With the Family? Let’s Make Your Electric Bill Brighter!
The switch helps you save money on your electricity bills so you can spend time with your family. When you choose from one of our fixed-price plans, you can figure out how much you can afford. Our Discount-Off-Tariff (DOT) plans let you lock in a lower rate every month.
