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Learn about the science of electric charge with these fun experiments
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Learning how to make static electricity is a great experiment to help you learn more about physical science. Depending on your interests, you can make static electricity in several different ways. To make small shocks, you can rub your socks against carpet or rub fur against plastic wrap or balloons. Or, to produce larger shocks, you can build your own electroscope using objects around the house. In this article, we’ll show you easy ways to create static electricity and some fun experiments you can do to see it at work. Read on to learn more!
Best Ways to Create Static Electricity
Put on a pair of dry wool socks and shuffle your feet across a carpet. The friction causes your body to pick up a slight electrical charge. To discharge the static or shock someone, touch a metal object or another person. Or, rub a rubber balloon against wool or your hair to electrically charge it.
Steps
Section 1 of 4:
Making Static Shocks with Socks and Carpet
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Put on a pair of clean, dry socks. The cleaner your socks are, the better they will conduct electricity. If your socks are wet or dirty, they will not have as much traction with the floor and may not make static electricity. [1] X Research source
- While most socks can conduct static electricity, wool socks generally work best. [2] X Research source
- Warm socks that just came out of the dryer are best for conducting electricity. This is because the dry air and friction from clothes tumbling against each other build up some static charge.
- Bonus tip: If you want to eliminate static cling from your laundry, “Use wool dryer balls during the dryer cycle,” says laundry specialist Ayad Mirjan. “Wool balls absorb moisture from clothing in the dryer, maintaining a more humid environment, and helping you get rid of static cling and friction. You can also add ½ cup of baking soda to the washing cycle.”
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Shuffle lightly across the carpet. Walk quickly while lightly scuffing your feet against the carpet. Avoid sliding your feet or walking with too much pressure, as this can cause the electricity to discharge prematurely and leave no energy for sparks. [3] X Research source- Nylon carpets are generally best for conducting electricity, but most carpets can produce static sparks. [4] X Research source
- What’s the science? The friction from your socks “peels off” the negatively charged electrons from the atoms in the carpet, giving you and your socks a slightly negative charge.
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Touch a metal object to discharge, or another person to shock them. Have you been wondering how to shock someone? After rubbing your socks against the carpet, reach your hand out and touch a nearby person or a metal object. You can tell whether you've made static electricity by whether you feel a shock or spark travel from yourself to the other person or object. [5] X Research source
- If you don't feel a static shock, keep scuffing your socks against the carpet and try again.
- Ask the other person's permission before touching them, as not everyone likes static shock.
- What’s the science? When you touch another person or object that conducts electricity, the extra electrons you picked up are discharged. This flow of electrons is the static shock that you feel!
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Avoid touching any electronic items. Electronic items contain microchips that can malfunction or become permanently damaged by static electricity. Before touching any electronic items, take off your socks and touch something else to discharge any static electricity. [6] X Research source
- Even if your electronic device has a protective case, it may still be vulnerable to static shocks.
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Section 2 of 4:
Rubbing Balloons with Wool to Create Static Electricity
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Blow up a rubber balloon and rub it against some wool. Hold the balloon in one hand and the wool in the other. Press the wool against the balloon and rub them vigorously against each other for at least 5-10 seconds. Rub in one direction rather than back and forth. [7] X Research source If you don't have any wool handy, you can rub it against your hair or a sweater instead.
- In this experiment, you have to use a rubber balloon. Metallic balloons will not conduct static electricity when rubbed with wool.
- What’s the science? The friction causes the rubber in the balloon to pull negative charge from the wool or your hair, charging the balloon with additional electrons.
Have fun shocking your friends.
"My brother and I read about how to make small static shocks, so we decided to try it out. I rubbed my socks on the carpet while he waited to touch my hand. When we made contact, we felt a little zap and jumped back laughing. It was so funny! We took turns seeing who could shock who. Following the tips to avoid electronics, let us goof around with static electricity without worrying. Such a fun way for us to learn science together."
- Kayla T.
Make an easy science project.
"I wanted to do something neat with my kids, so we used household stuff to build an electroscope. Poking holes in the cup and sticking straws through was the hardest part. Once we had it set up and charged a balloon, the foil moved away like it was supposed to! The kids thought our little DIY experiment was awesome and kept asking to show their friends. It's a super easy way to demonstrate static electricity in a hands-on way."
- Torey C.
Liven up lessons with engaging activities.
"As a teacher, I'm always trying to get my students excited about science. Letting them try the sock trick introduced our unit on electricity with a bang! Seeing their silly reactions to the tingle made the concepts feel real. And making their own electroscopes with cups and clay had them eager to learn more. Simple, fun ideas like these make my class more interesting for us all."
- Art H.
Entertain kids with homemade tricks.
"At camp, we're constantly looking for activities to wow the kids. Rubbing balloons on wool and making their hair stand up was a major hit! They thought it was the coolest thing when the balloons stuck to the wall, too. Easy DIY projects like this liven up our lessons and get the kids totally engaged with science. They learn so much from having fun, hands-on experiences."
- Suzi C.
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Hold the balloon next to an empty soda can to test it. Place the can sideways on a smooth, flat surface, then hold the balloon close to the can without touching it or the surface. If the can starts rolling toward the balloon, the balloon is conducting electricity! [8] X Research source Here are some more fun experiments to try to test your charged balloon:
- Hold it near your hair. If strands of your hair lift up and touch the balloon, you've made static electricity.
- Stick to a nearby wall. If the balloon stays in place, it’s electrically charged. If it doesn’t, touch it to a metal object to discharge it, then rub it against the wool for even longer. Then, try again! [9] X Research source This experiment works better in the wintertime and in non-humid climates.
- Hold it near a stream of running water from a faucet. If it’s charged enough, the balloon will bend the stream! [10] X Research source
- Wave your balloon over a mixture of salt and pepper. Any particles with a positive charge will be drawn toward the negatively charged balloon. Since pepper flakes are lighter than salt, all of the positive pepper pieces will stick to the balloon! [11] X Research source
- What’s the science? The negatively charged balloon will attract positively charged particles or objects, or repel negatively charged ones.
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Discharge the balloon by rubbing it against metal. Metal is a strong conductor and can remove the charge from your balloon. Just like you did with the wool, rub the metal against the balloon for about 5-10 seconds. Then feel free to repeat the experiment. [12] X Research source
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Section 3 of 4:
Making an Electroscope
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Cut 2 holes in the bottom of a foam cup and push a straw through them. Push a pencil or skewer through 2 locations in the bottom of a foam cup. The holes should be as far apart from each other as they are from the edge of the cup. Place a plastic straw through each hole so that it hangs halfway outside each one. [13] X Trustworthy Source Science Buddies Expert-sourced database of science projects, explanations, and educational material Go to source
- Use caution while handling sharp objects like skewers.
- What is an electroscope? An electroscope is a scientific device that shows if an object is electrically charged. Some can also show how much charge there is.
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Press 4 small clay balls onto the cup's rim, then place it on a baking pan. Roll 4 small, even balls that are 1 ⁄ 2 in (1.3 cm) wide with your fingers and attach them at equidistant locations on top of the cup's opening. Then, flip the cup upside down and place it in the middle of an aluminum baking pan. [14] X Research source
- After placing the cup on the pan, adjust the straw so that one end hangs directly above the edge of the pan.
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Cut a piece of thread and tie it to a small aluminum foil ball. Cut a piece of thread about 2-3 times longer than the distance between the straw and the edge of a pan, then tie a few knots in one end. Cut a square of aluminum foil about 1 in (2.5 cm) long and wide, then ball the aluminum foil around the end of the thread. [15] X Research source
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Tape the free end of the thread to the straw so the ball hangs over the pan’s edge. Hold the thread over the end of the straw so that the foil ball is just touching the edge of the pan. When it’s in position, use your other hand to tape the end of the thread to hold it in place. [16] X Research source You can snip off any excess thread.
- Check to see if the straw is loose in the cup. If it is, tape it so it stays snug and doesn’t move around while you experiment.
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5Rub a balloon against a Styrofoam plate to charge it. Inflate a rubber balloon and rub it vigorously against a Styrofoam plate about 20 times to give the plate an electrical charge. Styrofoam is a great insulator that doesn’t conduct electricity, meaning it will hold a charge for a relatively long time. [17] X Research source
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6Place the electroscope on top of the plate on a non-metal table. Quickly place the Styrofoam plate on a flat, non-metal surface, then place the electroscope on top. Only hold the electroscope by the foam cup and not by the aluminum pan! The clay on the cup should stick to the aluminum pan—if not, tape the cup down for a more secure hold. Touching the pan will cause the experiment not to work. [18] X Research source
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7Watch as the aluminum foil ball moves away from the edge of the pan. When the metal pan touches the Styrofoam, the charge in the Styrofoam will flow into the metal. Since the foil ball is also touching the pan, it will receive the same charge. Since both pieces of metal have the same electrical charge (either positive or negative), they will repel each other. [19] X Research source
- The more charge there is, the farther apart the ball and the pan will be.
- Want to experiment more? Rub different flat materials (like cotton, plastic wrap, wool, etc.) against a balloon to charge them, then lay them on top of your Styrofoam plate. Place the electroscope on top of the new material to test its electrostatic strength!
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do you know if you are charged up enough to shock someone?Community AnswerPut your hand close to your hair and if you feel your hair react, that means you are charged up.
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QuestionCan static electricity make things float?Community AnswerYes. There is a great trick where you can float/levitate a dollar bill between your hands (which are electrically charged). Search for the trick on YouTube.
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QuestionCan I make static electricity by rubbing wool gloves together?Community AnswerYes.
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References
- ↑ https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-static-electricity
- ↑ https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/what-causes-that-annoying-static-shock/338462
- ↑ https://www.livescience.com/what-causes-static-electricity.html
- ↑ https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/what-causes-that-annoying-static-shock/338462
- ↑ https://www.livescience.com/what-causes-static-electricity.html
- ↑ https://www.grafelectric.com/static-electricity-keep-electronics-safe/
- ↑ https://www.sciencing.com/build-up-static-electricity-hands-8496333/
- ↑ https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/remote-control-roller
- ↑ https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/remote-control-roller
- ↑ https://www.science-sparks.com/how-to-bend-water-with-static-electricity/
- ↑ https://circus.physics.ucsb.edu/2021/12/09/separating-salt-pepper-with-balloons/
- ↑ https://www.sciencing.com/build-up-static-electricity-hands-8496333/
- ↑ https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Elec_p023/electricity-electronics/how-well-do-different-materials-create-static-electricity
- ↑ https://www.snexplores.org/article/experiment-how-different-materials-create-static-electricity-physics
- ↑ https://www.snexplores.org/article/experiment-how-different-materials-create-static-electricity-physics
- ↑ https://www.snexplores.org/article/experiment-how-different-materials-create-static-electricity-physics
- ↑ https://www.snexplores.org/article/experiment-how-different-materials-create-static-electricity-physics
- ↑ https://www.snexplores.org/article/experiment-how-different-materials-create-static-electricity-physics
- ↑ https://www.snexplores.org/article/experiment-how-different-materials-create-static-electricity-physics
- ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2763825/
- ↑ https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-science-of-static-electricity-anuradha-bhagwat/digdeeper
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To make static electricity, first put on a pair of socks. Next, rub your socks across a piece of carpet for about 30 seconds. Be sure not to touch any metal or you’ll discharge the static and shock yourself. Carefully make your way to the person you want to shock and touch their skin. You should both feel a mild static shock!
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Reader Success Stories
- "My brother and I read about how to make small static shocks, so we decided to try it out. I rubbed my socks on the carpet while he waited to touch my hand. When we made contact, we felt a little zap and jumped back laughing. It was so funny! We took turns seeing who could shock who. Following the tips to avoid electronics, let us goof around with static electricity without worrying. Such a fun way for us to learn science together." ..." more
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"My brother and I read about how to make small static shocks, so we decided to try it out. I rubbed my socks on the carpet while he waited to touch my hand. When we made contact, we felt a little zap and jumped back laughing. It was so funny! We took turns seeing who could shock who. Following the tips to avoid electronics, let us goof around with static electricity without worrying. Such a fun way for us to learn science together."
..."
more
"I wanted to do something neat with my kids, so we used household stuff to build an electroscope. Poking holes in the cup and sticking straws through was the hardest part. Once we had it set up and charged a balloon, the foil moved away like it was supposed to! The kids thought our little DIY experiment was awesome and kept asking to show their friends. It's a super easy way to demonstrate static electricity in a hands-on way."
..."
more
"As a teacher, I'm always trying to get my students excited about science. Letting them try the sock trick introduced our unit on electricity with a bang! Seeing their silly reactions to the tingle made the concepts feel real. And making their own electroscopes with cups and clay had them eager to learn more. Simple, fun ideas like these make my class more interesting for us all."
..."
more
"At camp, we're constantly looking for activities to wow the kids. Rubbing balloons on wool and making their hair stand up was a major hit! They thought it was the coolest thing when the balloons stuck to the wall, too. Easy DIY projects like this liven up our lessons and get the kids totally engaged with science. They learn so much from having fun, hands-on experiences."
..."
more
"Scooting on a chair helped me the most, thank you so much."
