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Task 4 - An electrifying experience
Charged up!
I do my hair this way every
day :)
A
Van de Graaff generator is very effective at transferring charge...
Fun
demonstrations include:
• A
person being
charged up.
•
Sparks jumping from one
person to another.
•
Foil cake cases placed
on the dome.
•
Fluorescent tubes held near the dome.
•
Soap bubbles being
repelled by the dome.
Can you
explain what you see, using
ideas about electrical charges?
Teacher notes
will be available here, at some point...
A simple schematic diagram of the Van de Graaff.
This diagram shows how a Van de Graaff
generator works.
Task 5
Think hard!
Write an explanation of:
(i) how
insulators can become
charged by friction.
(ii) how
static
shocks can occur, with an example.
Use keywords from
this list in your explanation:
charge
friction transfer
positive negative excess
deficit small light
big heavy build-up
earth ground shock
repel spread out
Charges are transferred between the objects.
Task 6 - Plenary
Shocking!
The Van de Graaff
generator can do some things you haven't seen!
Your teacher will show you how...
• to make
very large sparks.
• to do some
fun tricks.
Teacher guidance notes will be linked in
here, at some point...
Homework
Useful or dangerous?!
Find out:
•at least
3 uses of static electricity.
•when
static electricity can be dangerous.
Write up your
ideas in your notebook, and include pictures or diagrams with
your explanation. The homework task will be available
here as a word document, at some
point...