Static Electricity – Easy and Quick Activities
(from TechLinks for CTCs)
Have you ever walked across a rug and then been shocked when you reached to touch a 
doorknob? If so, then you have experienced static electricity. There are many easy and fun 
demonstrations of static electricity that can be done with simple materials. However, most of these activities work best only on days when the humidity is very low, such as in winter on a cold day inside a warm room. Here are some things to try. See if you can think of others after you do some of these. 
In activities that call for rubbing wool, you can use a sweater, sock, scarf, rug, or anything else you have that is made of wool. In the activities that call for a balloon, you can usually substitute a comb with the same results, and vice versa. 
1. Stuck-Up Balloon 
Blow up a balloon and tie the end so that the balloon stays inflated. 
Hold the balloon against the wall and see if it will stick. What happens?  Briskly rub the balloon across a piece of fur or wool or even your hair (works best if your hair is clean and dry). For wool, you can use a sweater, sock, scarf, or rug.  Does the balloon stay?  Can you explain what happened? 
2.  Dancing Balloon 
Blow up 2 balloons and tie each one closed. Tie a long thread or string onto the end of each  balloon. Give each balloon a static charge by rubbing it with fur, wool, or you hair as in part A. Hold each balloon by the end of the thread and try to bring the balloons close to each other. What happens? 
3. Gelatin Towers 
Spread some unflavoured gelatin powder evenly onto a flat plate. Blow up a balloon, tie it, and charge it as you did in parts 1 and 2. Touch the charged area of the balloon to the plate of gelatin. Gently raise the balloon straight up. What happens? 
4. Dancing Water 
Rub an inflated balloon or a comb (hard rubber or plastic) with fur, wool, or your hair to charge 
the balloon as you did in parts A, B, and C. Turn on a faucet so a thin, steady stream of water 
comes out. Bring the balloon or comb near the stream of water. What do you see happening? Can you explain why? 
5.  Dancing Ping-Pong Ball 
Charge a comb or balloon as in parts 1, 2, 3 and 4.. Place a ping-pong ball on a level surface such as a tabletop or smooth, bare floor. Bring the charged comb or balloon near the ball. What happens? 
6. Dancing Paper 
Tear a sheet of paper into small pieces about the size of the fingernail on your pinky. Place the pieces of paper on the table. Charge a comb or a balloon as in part E. Bring the charged comb or balloon near the pieces of paper. What happens? 
7. Fun With Bubbles 
Blow a bubble, and then catch it on your bubble blower. Move a charged balloon or comb around near the bubble. What happens? Or, blow the bubble into the air, and then bring the charged balloon or comb near the bubble. What happens? Can you get the bubble to follow your comb or balloon around in the air? 
8. Far-Out Hair 
Run a comb or brush through your hair on a cold, dry winter day. 
What happens to your hair when you hold the comb or brush near it? Can you explain why? 

9. Salt and Pepper 
Sprinkle some salt onto a plate or tabletop. Bring a charged comb near the salt. What 
happens?  Then, sprinkle some pepper onto the table so that you have a mixture of salt and pepper. How do you think you might be able to separate the salt from the pepper? Bring your charged comb near the pile of salt and pepper particles. What happens? Which pieces were  picked up more easily? Is this a good way to separate salt and pepper if they accidentally get mixed? 

10. Flying Newspaper 
Starting at the fold, tear across the bottom edge of a full sheet of newspaper so that you have a strip about 1 inch wide and 30-40 inches long. Hang the newspaper strip over one finger at the fold, with the two ends dangling freely. Quickly pull the newspaper strip up between two fingers of the other hand. Watch the dangling strips of newspaper. What do they do? 
11. Snap, Crackle, Pop, and Hop! 
Place a thin layer of dry puffed rice breakfast cereal on a sheet of aluminum foil. Then put a 
clear plastic container (about 1-2 inches deep) upside down over the cereal. Vigorously rub the upper outside surface of the container (the bottom of the container, since it's upside down) with a piece of wool or nylon. What happens to the cereal underneath the container? 
12. Invisible Leg 
Get a ladies nylon stocking (not the kind with elastic in it). Hold the toe of the stocking in one 
hand. Place a piece of wool (a scarf, sweater, or sock will work) in your other hand and wrap it around the stocking near the hand that is holding the stocking. Pull the stocking quickly 
through the wool several times, all in the same direction. Then put the wool down and hold the opening of the stocking in the hand that was holding the wool. What happens to the stocking?