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In this activity about electricity, learners suspend pieces of tape from a straw to construct an electroscope, a device that detects an electrical charge. Then, learners use a plastic comb to identify whether the pieces of tape are positively or negatively charged.
- Under 5 minutes
- 10 to 30 minutes
- 1 cent - $1 per group of students
- Ages 8 - 14
- Activity, Model
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per group of students)
- 4 plastic drinking straws with flexible ends
- 2 plastic 35 mm film cans
- Enough modeling clay to fill the film cans halfway
- A roll of 3-M Scotch Magic™ Tape, 3/4 inch (2 cm) width. (Don't substitute other brands of tape the first time you try this Snack. Once you know what to expect, you can experiment with other tapes.)
- A plastic comb and hair or a piece of wool cloth
Subjects
-
Physical Sciences
-
Electricity and Magnetism
- Electric Charges and Currents
-
Structure and Properties of Matter
- Elementary Particles and Nuclear Physics
-
Electricity and Magnetism
-
The Nature of Science
-
The Scientific Process
- Conducting Investigations
-
The Scientific Process
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Involves hands-on or lab activities
Other
This resource is part of:
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
Rights:
- All rights reserved, The Exploratorium,
Funding Sources:
- National Science Foundation
- California Department of Education
- NEC Foundation of America