Static Electricity: Balloons, Hair, and Charges
Explore how tiny charges can push and pull
Static Electricity: Balloons, Hair, and Charges
Explore how tiny charges can push and pull
Science - Grade 2-3
- 1
You rub a balloon on your hair. Then some of your hair stands up and sticks to the balloon. What force is making the hair move toward the balloon?
Think about the kind of electricity that can build up when two things rub together.
Static electricity is making the hair move toward the balloon. The balloon and hair have electric charges that can pull on each other. - 2
A balloon is rubbed on a sweater and then placed near tiny paper pieces. The paper pieces jump up to the balloon. What caused the paper pieces to move?
The charged balloon pulled on the tiny paper pieces. Static electricity can make light objects move without touching them first. - 3
True or false: Static electricity can build up when two objects rub against each other. Explain your answer.
Think about rubbing a balloon on hair or rubbing socks on carpet.
True. Static electricity can build up when two objects rub together because tiny charges can move from one object to another. - 4
Mia rubs a balloon on her hair. The balloon can now stick to a wall for a short time. Why can the balloon stick to the wall?
The balloon can stick to the wall because it has a static electric charge. The charge pulls on the wall and holds the balloon there for a short time. - 5
Circle the object that would be easiest for a charged balloon to pick up: a tiny paper scrap, a heavy book, or a metal lunchbox. Explain why.
Static electricity works best on light objects in this kind of classroom test.
A tiny paper scrap would be easiest for a charged balloon to pick up. It is very light, so the small pull from static electricity can move it. - 6
Two balloons have the same kind of electric charge. When they are held near each other, they move apart. What does this show about same charges?
This shows that same charges push away from each other. The two balloons repel each other. - 7
Two objects have different kinds of electric charges. Will they push away or pull together? Explain your answer.
Attract means to pull together.
Objects with different kinds of electric charges will pull together. Different charges attract each other. - 8
After rubbing socks on a carpet, you touch a doorknob and feel a tiny zap. What happened?
Static electricity built up on your body as your socks rubbed the carpet. When you touched the doorknob, the charge moved quickly and caused a tiny zap. - 9
Lena wants to test static electricity with a balloon. Write the first two steps she should do.
A good test has clear steps and uses safe classroom materials.
First, Lena should rub the balloon on her hair or a sweater. Next, she should hold the balloon near hair, paper pieces, or a wall to see if it pulls or sticks. - 10
Why is static electricity called static?
Static can mean staying still or not moving much.
Static electricity is called static because the charges can stay in one place for a little while. They do not flow through wires like the electricity that powers a lamp.