Static ElectricityWith the inspector

What’s happening to me?!!! Here is what I looked like when I woke

up today….

Know What Learned

Write this in your science journal…

-Student Activity Sheet-Divide class into science partners

In your basket:1. Balloons (do not play with them)

2. fabric swatch3. rice crispies

4. salt and pepper**In just a minute we will get these

items-Don’t move yet!First-Write a hypothesis!

Who is the youngest science partner?

How does static electricity work?! All things are made up

of atoms, protons, neutrons and electrons!

Protons= positive charge

Electrons= negative charge

Neutrons=no charge

Just like magnets…opposites attract! The atom wants to remain stable or

have equal amounts of protons, neutrons and electrons

When two atoms rub together some electrons will jump to the other object, in our experiment the electrons (or negative charges) jumped from the fabric to the balloon giving the balloon a negative charge

Pepper has a positive chargeSo it is attracted to the negatively charged balloon!This completes the circuit!***Demonstration Time-Look at the ELMO!

What about the salt? Doesn’t salt have a positive charge? Yes! But the density of salt makes it less

likely to move toward the balloon.

Write these in your science journal…

Vocabulary Words:

Electricity- energy that comes from charged particles like protons and neutronsStatic Electricity – An electric charge that is caused by friction. It typically causes a spark or a crackling sound. It can also make light things move…like hair or dust or a feather.Electron – The part of the atom that has a negative charge. Electrons are orbital, meaning they are not located in the atom’s nucleus.Proton (positive) – The part of the atom that has a positive charge. It is located in the atom’s nucleus.Neutron – The part of an atom that has no electric charge. It is located in the atom’s nucleus. (Except hydrogen…that one kind of atom does not have any neutrons.)Nucleus – The positively charged The central core of an atom. It is positively charged because that is where the proton’s are.

Let’s go back to our KWL chart and see what we have learned…..

Clean up!

1. Pop Balloons and lay on paper towel2. Fold paper towel carefully 3. Put all items back into bucket4. Girl helper-collect buckets5. Boy helper-carry garbage can to desks to

collect garbage6. Sit quietly and wait for instructions