Snap, Crackle, POP!

Objectives

• Explain how static charge causes materials to attract or repel each other.

Materials

• Per Class:
  Various items displayed on a table (4–5 samples of each):
  balloons
  plastic rulers
  plastic spoons
  paper plates
  wool scarf
  silk scarf
  rubber-soled shoes
  carpet
  socks
  sweater
  thread
  record
  comb
  cereal
  salt
  hula hoop
  sugar
  pepper
  ripped-up paper
  gelatin
  styrofoam packing peanuts

• Per student:
  science notebook
  pencil/pen
  table of the triboelectric series

Key Questions

• Which combinations of materials create charge?
• Can you explain your results by looking at the ranking of your materials in the triboelectric series?
• Do any of the material combinations result in crackling?
• What is similar about the combinations that create charge? The combinations that do not create charge?

What To Do

Preparation

1. Lay out a variety of materials on a table.
2. On the board, create a table with the materials you have chosen along the top of the table and repeat them down the side of the table. This will be used to record the students’ results. Alternatively, you can ask the students to reproduce the table in their notebooks to record the results.

Exploration

1. In teams of two, one of the team members comes to the table and chooses two materials to bring back to their desk.
2. Rub the two materials together. Do they exhibit static cling?
3. In your table, record “Yes” for creating a charge and “No” for not creating a charge.
4. Bring back the samples to the table and choose another pair.
5. Continue rubbing different combinations of materials together to see which ones create charge.
6. Record the results as a class on the board.

​Teacher Tip:
For primary students who may not be confident with their writing skills, the following variation can be used to create an engaging activity. Instead of having each pair of students record their findings on paper, assign a “yes” side and “no” side to the classroom. Then, for each round of testing materials for static charge, have each pair move to the appropriate side of the classroom. Record the group’s answers on the blackboard and then review them as a class.

Extensions

• Go on a static electricity hunt! Leave the classroom and expand your search area for material combinations that create static charge around your school, outside, at home etc.
• Take your best combination, charge it up, turn the lights off and see if you can get a spark!
• At home, try taking off an acrylic or polar fleece sweater in the dark. Can you see any sparks?