Kathleen Borges 1
Chemistry Unit Resource Collection Assignment
1. Balloons and Static Electricity Simulation
(a) A description
This simulation shows the charges present on the surface of objects and allows for students to
visually see what happens when a rubber balloon is rubbed against a wool sweater and placed on
a neutral wall.
(b) A rationale that explains why the resource was chosen and how you feel it is best used in
your unit
This resource was chosen because the simulation illustrates the concepts of charging by friction
and induced charged separation and applies those concepts to an everyday situation that most
students have experienced. I particularly like this simulation to review the laws of electric
charges and the electrostatic series. I feel that this simulation is best used during a lesson
explaining charging by friction and induced charged separation. When introducing this
simulation, I would recommend using effective questioning as you guide the students through
this simulation.
(c) The complete text of the resource (include the reference to the source, e.g., website)
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/balloons
2. Circuit Construction Kit Simulation
(a) A description
This simulation allows for students to build their own circuit and also depicts the flow of electric
charges through the circuit. The kit includes batteries, light bulbs, resistors, switches, ammeters
and voltmeters.
(b) A rationale that explains why the resource was chosen and how you feel it is best used in
your unit
This simulation is great to demonstrate open/closed circuits, series and parallel circuits,
resistance, and how to connect an ammeter and a voltmeter to a circuit. I feel that this simulation
can be effectively incorporated into a lesson explaining resistance as students can visually
experience what happens to the flow of electric charge when a load is added to a circuit, or when
a resistor is added to a circuit.
(c) The complete text of the resource (include the reference to the source, e.g., website)
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/circuit-construction-kit-dc
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3. Grandpa John Electricity and Resistance Video
(a) A description
In this video, the character “Grandpa John” begins by reviewing the concepts of electric current
and voltage. Grandpa John continues by explaining resistance and demonstrates the difference
between a light bulb with high resistance and a light bulb with low resistance.
(b) A rationale that explains why the resource was chosen and how you feel it is best used in
your unit
I chose this resource because Grandpa John portrays we experience resistance in our everyday
lives. I feel that this video is best used by pausing the video at 1:27 and have the students
complete a “Predict, Observe, and Explain” example when the light bulb of lower resistance is
turned on.
(c) The complete text of the resource (include the reference to the source, e.g., website)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvVTh3ak5dQ
4. Mario Kart Gameplay Video
(a) A description
This is a video of Super Mario Kart Gameplay for the video game console Super Nintendo. In
this video, the viewer can see the karts traveling around the raceway circuit.
(b) A rationale that explains why the resource was chosen and how you feel it is best used in
your unit
This video was chosen because a good analogy to describe current electricity is car races as each
car represents a coulomb of charge and the checkpoint represents the point where current is
measured. The video game “Mario Kart” has been around for several years and has been adapted
to many video game systems including Super Nintendo (1990), Nintendo 64 (1996), Gameboy
Advanced (2001), Nintendo Gamecube (2002), Nintendo DS (2004), Nintendo Wii (2006), and
Nintendo 3DS (2010). Thus, it is very probable that most of your students have played Mario
Kart once in their lifetime and students will be interested in your lesson. I feel that video is best
used when describing how electric current is calculated. Students can be asked to calculated the
current of the circuit by counting the total number of Karts that pass the checkpoint before the
race is finished. Students must remember to convert the time into seconds to achieve the correct
answer.
(c) The complete text of the resource (include the reference to the source, e.g., website)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVi8AiwKn3k
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5. Static Electricity Laboratory
(a) A description
The purposed of this laboratory is for student to explore charging by friction, charging by
induction and charging by conduction. To complete the experiment, you will need pith balls,
electroscopes, ebonite rods, acetate strips, fur, rubber, metal spoons, and paper hole punches.
There are four sectioned experiments within this laboratory: demonstrating the law of electric
charges, charging by friction, charging by conduction and charging by induction.
(b) A rationale that explains why the resource was chosen and how you feel it is best used in
your unit
This laboratory was chosen because it incorporates the main topics of static electricity and gives
students the opportunity to experience the different ways of charging an object. I feel that this
experiment is best used at the end of the static electricity component of the electricity unit
because it will allow student to review all the concepts of static electricity before their test.
(c) The complete text of the resource (this could be copied or adapted from an online or
published source (include the reference to the source, e.g., website)
This laboratory experiment is a revised version of the laboratory on this website:
http://alpertscience.org/PHYSICS_LABS_ETC/STATIC%20ELECTRICITY%20LAB_2009.do
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STATIC ELECTRICITY LAB
Background:
Static electricity is created when an object gives up or
gains electrons. The easiest way to charge a non-conductor
is is by friction (rubbing) with wool, silk or fur.
In static electricity, the charges are not moving through a wire or other conductor
but stay on the surface of the object holding the charge.
By definition, rubbing a glass rod with silk produces a positive charge, while
rubbing a hard rubber rod with wool or fur produces a negative charge.
A charge may be removed by grounding or allowing the excess electrons to flow
into the ground or body.
There
1.
2.
3.
are three ways to transfer/ produce a static charge in a substance:
Rubbing two neutral objects together to produce a charge by friction.
Transferring a charge through a conductor such as a metal spoon.
Producing an opposite charge by bringing a charged object close to the
second object (induction)
Purpose: to demonstrate the properties of charging by
Friction
Induction
Conduction
Materials
Pith balls
Electroscopes
Ebonite rods
Acetate Strips
Fur
Rubber Gloves
Paper Hole Punches
Metal spoons
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Procedures:
Experiment 1-- Demonstration of the Law of Charges
Hang one ebonite rod from a ring stand with string.
Charge a second ebonite rod by rubbing it with fur.
Bring the charged rod near the handing rod.
Enter your observations into the data table.
Experiment 2 Charging by friction and contact
Take a handful of paper hole punches.
Charge an ebonite rod by rubbing with a piece of fur.
Try to pick up the pieces of paper with the rod.
Charge your pith balls with the ebonite rod and fur (fabric)
Demonstrate that the opposite charge may be produced with the acetate
strip and the rubber.
Touch a charged ebonite rod to the ball at the top of an electroscope.
Describe the reaction in your data table.
Discharge the electroscope by touching it with your finger.
Fill in your data table
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Experiment 3 Charging by conduction
View the diagram below showing how a ping pong ball may be charged by
conduction.
Do the same experiment using a metal spoon and the pith ball and/ or the
electroscope. Be sure to hold the spoon by the insulating tape.
Put your observations into the data table
Experiment 4: Charging by induction
Use the fur to charge the ebonite rod.
Move the rod close to the electroscope as shown below.
Ground the ball at the top of the electroscope with your finger.
Remove your finger
Move the rod away from the electroscope
The electroscope should now be charged with a positive charge.
You may also do this by holding the plastic or rubber rod close to the outside glass
of the electroscope.
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WRAP UP QUESTIONS (write the questions along with your answer)
1. How are the electroscopes and the pith ball devices similar?
2. Why did the pieces of paper stick to the ebonite rod?
3. Why do you think that the pith balls were at first attracted to the charged rod,
and then were repelled by it?
4. Why did you use non-metals for the charging rods?
5. Why did the leaves of the electroscope drop back when you touched them with
your finger?
6. Why did we do this lab during cold weather?
7. How were the charges on the acetate strips different from the charges on the
plastic rods?
8. What is the difference between charging by friction and charging by induction?