PHYS 1110 LAB 8 STATIC ELECTRICITY

Name Date

Charge Interaction:

Google "PHET Balloons and Static Electricity"

Or enter https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/balloons-and-static-electricity

Insure there is a '5' in the bottom right corner.Press play.

Pre-Charge

Put the balloon near (BUT NOT TOUCHING) the wall.Leave about as much space as the width of your pinky finger between the balloon and wall.

1. Does the balloon move, if so which way?
2. Do the protons (positive red circles) move in either object? if so how?
3. Do the electrons (blue negative circles) move in either object? if so how?
4. Did either the electrons or protons move from one object to the other? If so describe.

Put the balloon near (BUT NOT TOUCHING) the sweater (gray shirt). Leave about as much space as the width of your pinky finger between the balloon and wall.

1. Does the balloon move, if so which way?
2. Do the protons (positive red circles) move in either object? if so how?
3. Do the electrons (blue negative circles) move in either object? if so how?
4. Did either the electrons or protons move from one object to the other? If so describe.

Section Questions

Q1. Did anything move in either of the above set ups? If so what?

Q2. What would you consider the overall charge of each object (circle)

Sweater	Positive (+)	Neutral	Negative (-)
Balloon	Positive (+)	Neutral	Negative (-)
Wall	Positive (+)	Neutral	Negative (-)

Q3. Even though there are neutral objects, do those objects still have positives and negatives inside?

Q4. For neutral objects, what do you notice about the number of positive and negative circles inside?

Q5. Change from ' Show all charges' and click 'Show charge differences' what happens?

Charging an Object

Go back to SHOW ALL CHARGES. RUB the balloon over the sweater, it should look similar to the image to the right when you are done. You have now charged the balloon.

1. What type of charge moved from one object to another?
2. What object gained electrons?
3. What object lost electrons?

Sweater	Positive (+)	Neutral	Negative (-)
Balloon	Positive (+)	Neutral	Negative (-)
Wall	Positive (+)	Neutral	Negative (-)

Finish this sentence: Objects that gain electrons, like the balloon, gain a charge.Objects that lose electrons, like the sweater, gain a charge.Objects that have the same number of electrons and protons, like the wall, have a charge.

Go back to 'Show all charges'

Put the balloon near (BUT NOT TOUCHING) the wall.Leave about as much space as the width of your pinky finger between the balloon and wall.

1. Does the balloon move, if so which way?
2. Do the protons (positive red circles) move in either object? if so how?
3. Do the electrons (blue negative circles) move in either object? if so how?
4. Did either the electrons or protons move from one object to the other? If so describe.

Put the balloon near (BUT NOT TOUCHING) the sweater (gray shirt). Leave about as much space as the width of your pinky finger between the balloon and wall.

1. Does the balloon move, if so which way?
2. Do the protons (positive red circles) move in either object? if so how?
3. Do the electrons (blue negative circles) move in either object? if so how?
4. Did either the electrons or protons move from one object to the other? If so describe.

Section Questions

Q1. Between ATTRACT, REPEL, AND NOTHING, what interaction occurred between the positive sweater and the negative balloon?

Q2. Between ATTRACT, REPEL, AND NOTHING, what interaction occurred between the neutral wall and the negative balloon?

Q3. Reset balloons and select the two-balloon option. Get both balloons negative and try to bring them next to each other, what happens?

Q4. Within the wall POLARIZATION occurs.This allows for the neutral object to still have an attraction to a charged object. Put the balloon by the wall. Watch what happens inside the wall. This is polarization, describe what occurs in the wall.

Google "PHET John Travoltage"

Or enter https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/john-travoltage

Insure there is a '5' in the bottom right corner. Press play.

1. Grab and move the hand, does anything happen?

1. Lift the hand/finger away from the door knob and point it up. Grab and move the foot on the carpet, what happens?

1. Move the foot faster and faster, what happens?

1. What charge is the person becoming?

1. The more you rub the carpet the (stronger/weaker) the charge becomes.

1. Touch the door knob. What happens?

1. What takes less time, building up the electrons in the person by rubbing, or discharging (losing) the electrons when touching the door knob?

1. Why do you think the electrons interact only on a single point on the body when this happens?

1. How might the above two answers explain why a static shock may hurt a little? Explain in your own words.