Hand Crank Van de Graaff Generator

Located in L01, section A2
Van de Graaff generator that works by hand crank, so students can see the mechanism that charges the dome.
Turning the crank moves the belt, which has charges stripped as it moves and thus develops a net charge. Charges spread out on the dome as a result of its proximity to the charged belt.
Use the wand to demonstrate arcing and to ground the dome.

Van de Graaff Generator

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.

Use the cage in conjunction with Van de Graaff to demonstrate
electrostatic shielding.
Place a hand-held radio inside the cage to demonstrate electromagnetic
shielding (radio in cage should pick-up no signal).
Located in L01, section A2.

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.