Essential Lab #6
Static Electricity
Division of Science
Mary Tweedy, Curriculum Support Specialist
Keisha Kidd, Curriculum Support Specialist
Dr. Millard Lightburn, Supervisor Elementary Science
What Do You Know About Atoms?
• All matter is made up of tiny particles called
atoms.
• Atoms contain protons, electrons and neutrons.
• Protons have a positive charge, electrons a
negative charge, and neutrons a neutral charge.
• There are 115 different atoms.
• All matter is made up of different combinations
of these atoms.
Atoms
http://sciencespot.net/Media/atomsfam.pdf
Let’s Model the Parts of an Atom
• Need: 8 Volunteers (2 neutrons, 2 electrons, 2 protons, 1 nucleus,
and 1 atom)
Here’s what to do:
• Atom” person holds up the sign and stands near the outside of the
circles.
• The “Nucleus” stands inside the circle and hold his/her sign up
• The 2 “Protons” go inside the center of the circle.
• The 2 “Neutrons” go inside the circle
• One “Electron” stands on each of the outer circles
• “Both Electrons” walk quickly around their orbit
• All: Draw a diagram of the model we just made in your journal.
All matter is made up of tiny particles called _____.
What are an atom’s
3 basic parts?
1. Neutrons
2. Protons
3. Electrons
What are their
electrical charges?
a. Neutral
b. Positive
c. Negative
What do Atoms have to do with Static Electricity?
Check this out:
http://www.teachersdomain.org/asset/phy03_vid
_zsnap/
Discovery Video: Static Electricity
Now it’s Your Turn to Explore
Essential Lab #6 Static Electricity
Key Question:
How does static electricity cause
objects to attract or repel?
Rotate through the 4 stations,
follow the directions, and record
your data in the chart.
Key Question: How does static electricity
cause objects to attract or repel?
Explain/Evaluate
a. How does what you observed at Station 1 provide
evidence to answer your key question?
b. How does what you observed at Station 2 provide
evidence to answer your key question?
c. How does what you observed at Station 3 provide
evidence to answer your key question?
d. How does what you observed at Station 4 provide
evidence to answer your key question?
Let’s Take Another Look
The protons’ positive charges and their electrons’
negative charges are typically electrically balanced
in an atom.
- +
- +
- +
- +
Rubbing the balloon on one’s hair (friction) causes
it to gain electrons and become negatively
charged. This makes your hair stand on end by
giving them all the same charge, making
them repel one another.
Try This: Discovery Exploration:
Static Electricity
Rubbing the balloon on your hair, gives it a
surplus of electrons. A wall will have an
opposite charge, causing them to attract
one another and allowing the balloon to
stick to the wall.
What Do You Know Now?
• What is static electricity?
• When does a static charge build up on an object?
• What happens when a static charge builds up on
an object?
• What is an example from nature of static
electricity?
What is Static Electricity?
•Static electricity is a buildup of electrical
charge in an object.
•Friction can cause a static charge buildup.
•Static charge causes objects to attract or
repel.
•Static charge can be released as a brief
burst of electrical energy, sometimes
visible as a spark, and felt as a shock.
Discovery Reading Passage: Don’t Move
When Does a Static Charge Build Up on
an Object?
There are forces that can change an object’s
electrical charge. One such force is friction.
Friction is produced by rubbing two objects
together. For example, when you walk across the
floor, your shoes rub against the carpet. This
creates friction. The friction causes electrons to
flow from the carpet to your body. Both your body
and the carpet become electrically charged.
What causes static electricity?
• http://www.ehow.com/video_4756347_whatcauses-static-electricity.html
What Happens When a Static Charge
Builds Up on an Object?
An electrically charged object can exert a force
on other objects. A charged object will pull on
uncharged objects and on objects that have an
opposite charge. A charged object will push
away another charged object that has the same
charge. Static charge can also jump from a
charged object to another object. The shock you
might feel after rubbing your feet on the carpet
is an example of this jump of electrical charge.
What is an Example of Static Electricity
that is Found in Nature?
Lightning is the release of a very large static
charge. Friction causes static electricity to build
up in the clouds. Sometimes, electrons jump
from cloud to cloud, releasing a very large static
charge. The sky lights up, and we see a flash of
lightning. Sometimes electrons jump from the
cloud to the ground. This creates another flash
of lightning.
RESOURCES
• Study Jams - Atoms: Protons, Neutron and Electrons
http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/matter/ato
ms.htm
• http://www.teachersdomain.org/asset/phy03_vid_zsnap/
• Bill Nye http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z77IzaXGcg&safe=active
• http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/static.html
• http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4564266_static-electricitywork.html
• http://sciencespot.net/Media/atomsfam.pdf
(Atom’s Family)
• Study Jams- Electricity:
http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/energylight-sound/electricity.htm
• www.Chem4kids.com