Static electricity is stationary electric charge produced by rubbing of two materials. We experience static electricity when touching a metal surface after using a woolen jacket or after walking on a carpeted floor. In this article we are sharing with you a wonderful static electricity science project for grade 4 students. Try this project and share your experience with us in our comment box below.
Static Electricity Science Project Questions:
- Can rubbing a balloon on a piece of silk cloth generate static electricity?
- Can static electricity move objects?
- Can a ruler scale produce static electricity if used instead of balloon?
Things that you need:
- A balloon
- Two empty tin containers of same height
- A paperclip (steel)
- Some thread
- A scale
- A pencil
- Some silk cloth
- A friend with moderately long hairs
- Some small pieces of paper
Step 1: Blow up the balloon and rub it on the silk cloth for some time. Call your friend and place the balloon over his/her hair (but do not touch). Are the hairs of your friend standing up? Note it on your project data chart (given below).
Step 2: Place the small pieces of papers on a flat surface. Rub the balloon once again on the silk cloth and bring the balloon close to the paper pieces (but do not touch the paper pieces with the balloon). Are they being attracted by the balloon?
Step 3: Tie the paperclip on one end of the thread. Tie the other end of the thread on the pencil. Keep the tin containers close to each other with a gap between them. Place the pencil over the tin containers like a bridge and let the thread hang from the pencil in between the tin containers. Rub the balloon once again on the silk cloth and bring it near to one of the tin containers. Is the paperclip that is hanging on the thread moving?
Step 4: Repeat the procedures by replacing balloon with a scale. Note your observations.
Project data chart:
|1.||Balloon on Hair||Yes / No|
|2.||Balloon on Paper Pieces||Yes / No|
|3.||Balloon on Paperclip||Yes / No|
|4.||Scale on Hair||Yes / No|
|5.||Scale on Paper pieces||Yes / No|
|6.||Scale on Paperclip||Yes / No|