Van de Graaff Generator

 

Van de Graaff Generator Demo Picture

  • Principle: Static electricity is cool.
  • Located in L01, section A2
  • Van de Graaf accessories are located beneath Van de Graaff
    generator in plastic containers.

Some ideas for experiments beyond the typical shock-myself-and-my-students:

  • Bend a paper clip into an L shape and tape it to the charged sphere to create
    an ion gun; point the paper clip at the palm of your hand to feel the “ion
    wind”. Point the paper clip at your shirt to charge your shirt up- after
    30 seconds shirt should begin sticking to your chest.
  • Place a cup of styrofoam peanuts, or a stack of styro or aluminum plates
    on top of the sphere, turn on generator and watch stuff fly.
  • Dim the room lights, touch one end of a fluorescent bulb to the charged
    sphere and the other end of the bulb to the small discharging sphere. Bulb
    will flicker.
  • Using a squirt gun shoot a stream of water past the charged sphere; water
    should ionize and stream will disperse.

Additional Van de Graaff demo ideas