Electric charge and electric force You have all heard about electric charge. Well, for now, please forget EVERYTHING you have heard. For the rest of this lab, you are only to write comments and make statements that are supported by the observations and analysis of the experiments that follow. IF YOU DO NOT SEE IT, DO NOT SAY IT! In this section, the goal is to develop a meaning for the property of matter that is called electric charge. In these activities keep the tapes, except for the handles, away from your hands. Activity 1:Side by side. Remove two 10-cm long pieces of regular clear tape from a roll of tape. Fold the ends of the tape over to make handles (see the sketch at the right). Press the sticky sides of the tape to the top of the lab table and rub them so that they make good contact with the table. Then, quickly pull the strips off the surface and bring the non-sticky sides of the tape near each other. Record your observations. Hypothesis: Observation: Conclusion: Does it matter which side of the strips face each other? How does the distance between the strips affect what happens? Handle Sticky side