Copyright © Michael Richmond.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
How large an electric charge can you generate?
This project may be done by teams of 1-2 individuals. The idea is to generate a static electric charge using only your own muscle power; under no circumstances may you employ electrically powered devices! You might scuff your feet on carpets of several different types, looking for the variety which yields the largest charge. Or you might rub materials against a sweater. Perhaps you may think of some other means to transfer charge to an object.
Once you have settled on a basic technique, experiment with different substances and different styles. Which ones work best? Which ones work worst? Can you explain your results?
You must measure the amount of charge you are able to transfer to an object. One way to do this is to compare the force of the static electricity to the force of gravity; how massive an object can you lift into the air? Another way is to note that electricity discharges through air when the electric force reaches a strength of about 3 million Newtons per Coulomb. See Problem 17 in Chapter 23. You may assume that all the charges are concentrated at the points of closest approach when the discharge occurs.
Express the amount of charge in both Coulombs and number of electrons.
Submit a report which contains a picture and description of your experiment, as well as the results. You may also include interesting items you discovered during the course of the procedure.
This page maintained by Michael Richmond. Last modified Sep 6, 1998.
Copyright © Michael Richmond.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.