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Teacher's Centre : Older Children
What is Static Electricity?
You walk across the rug, reach for the doorknob and you get a shock. Or, you come inside from the cold, pull off your hat and all your hair stands on end. What is going on here? The answer is: STATIC ELECTRICITY.
To understand what static electricity is, we have to learn a little bit about the nature of matter. Or in other words, what is all the stuff around us made of? Everything around us is made of atoms. So what are atoms made of? In the middle of each atom is a "nucleus." Circling around the nucleus are even smaller particles called electrons.
Some materials hold their electrons very tightly. Electrons do not move through them very well. These things are called insulators. Plastic, cloth, glass and dry air are good insulators. Other materials have some loosely held electrons, which move through them very easily. These are called conductors. Most metals are good conductors.
How can we move electrons from one place to another? One very common way is to rub two objects together. If they are made of different materials, and are both insulators, electrons may be moved from one to the other. The more rubbing, the more electrons move, and the larger the charges built up.
Theme
Static electricity is simple, natural electricity
Aim
- Understand what static electricity is and how it is made
- Be able to demonstrate static electricity to others
Suggested Activities
Do 'Jumping People' experiment for children. Draw some small people on paper, cut them out and place them on table top. Blow up a balloon and tie a knot in the neck. Rub the balloon on a woollen jumper. Hold the balloon over the people and they will jump up and down. They are in the balloon's field and therefore get a positive charge and get attracted to the balloon. When they touch it they get a negative charge and are repelled.
