🚀 go-pugleaf

>jweiss@paintbrush.cgd.ucar.edu (Jeffrey Weiss) writes:
>
>>In my physics classes I recall we used cat fur, bakelite rods, and
>>pith balls to do simple static electricity experiments.  Does anyone
>>have any suggestions for common household substitutes?  I've found
>>that rubbing plastic silverware with a wool blanket charges the
>>plasticware, which I can then use to charge other plasticware.  I thus
>>can create many charged spoons and forks but they all have same-sign
>>charges.  Any hints on getting oppositely charged objects?
>>--
>>Jeff
>>jweiss@ncar.ucar.edu

To revert to the really mundane, a balloon can be easily charged up by
rubbing it on a sweater.  In addition to sticking to walls and ceilings,
you can place it near a thin stream of water from a faucet.  The water
bends A LOT, and it's real impressive.

A card trick feature to reveal the chosen card is to rub the card on
your pant leg and slap it on the wall, where it should stick, revealing
the face of the chosen card (I have mixed results).

A way to oppositely charge objects involves using a stream of water
from a faucet.  I ask others for help in this, but I know that there
are something like two metal containers and the water splits between them
(hmm, maybe it's water drops!).  A piece of one container rises up and
comes near the drops, and the charge on it moves the drops to fall in
one container or the other depending on it's net charge.  Wow, I'm
stopping here-I really need help remembering this one.  I does
involve water drops and a large charge difference can be generated
by the positive feedback.  It's supposed to be really simple.

Ron Doerfler