Electricity

E-S1 : Charge Producers

Unit

Electrostatics

Purpose

To show how static electricity is produced

Equipment

  1. Silk 
  2. Rabbit Fur
  3. Rods (glass, plastic)
  4. Electric Charge Gun (from Nakamura electrostatic field lines)

Suggestions

  1. Rub rods against material lightly but vigorously. Can you determine the sign of the charge on the rod?
  2. See electrostatic field lines demonstration for instructions on how to use the charge gun.

Discussion

  1. Equipment
  2. Electric Charge Producing Gun

E-S2 : Charged Pith Balls

Unit

Electricity

Purpose

Illustrate attraction and repulsion

Equipment

  1. 2 Pith Balls suspended from a stand
  2. Piece of Silk and fur
  3. Glass and plastic rods

Suggestions

  1. Make sure the pith balls do not hit the metal rod because they wil lose their charge.
  2. Try to get the two pith balls at a relatively even height.

Discussion

Initially the pith balls are attracted to charged rod because of the polarization of charge, once they 
touch the rod they acquire the same charges on the rod and are hence force repeled by it.

  1. Equipment
  2. Pith Balls attracted to glass rod
  3. Pith Balls repelled by glass rod

E-S3 : Electroscop

Unit

Electrostatics

Purpose

To measure amounts of chare

Equipment

  1. New Electroscope
  2. Overhead Electroscope
  3. Old Electroscope

Suggestions

Touch charged objects to the electroscope to measure how much charge they have.

Discussion

  1. New Electroscope
  2. New Electroscope with charge
  3. Overhead Electroscope
  4. Old Electroscope

E-S4 : Leyden Jars

Unit

Electrostatics

Purpose

To demonstrate charge storage

Equipment

  1. Sampling electrode
  2. Leyden Jar
  3. Charge producing gun
  4. Electric Charge Gun (from Nakamura electrostatic field lines)

Suggestions

  1. Works best in low humidity
  2. See electrostatic field lines demonstration for instructions on how to use the charge gun.

Discussion

E-S5 : Electrostatic Field Lines

Unit

Electrostatic Field

Purpose

Illustrate the electric field lines of various charge distributions

Equipment

  1. Charge producing gun
  2. Glass container with liquid suspension
  3. 5 slides (Point charge, Dipole, Antidipole, Parallel plate capacitor, Circular capacitor)

Suggestions

  1. Squeeze trigger slowly and not all the way. Before letting go of the trigger, pull the tip off the connection.
  2. Works best in very dry conditions

Discussion

  1. Equipment
  2. Parallel plate capacitor
  3. Dipole
  4. Point Charge
  5. Circular capacitor
  6. Antidipole

E-S6 : Gauss's Law

Unit

Electrostatic Field

Purpose

Illustrate charging by induction and conduction.

Equipment

  1. Project-O-Scope
  2. Silk Fabric
  3. Glass Rod

Suggestions

  1. Predict whether positive or negative charges are left after you remove both your hand and the charged rod.
  2. Conduct this experiment in a dry environment.

Discussion

  1. Equipment
  2. No charge
  3. Charged object touches the electroscope (conduction)
  4. Electroscope acquires charge
  5. With charged rod near by, the electroscope is grounded
  6. Electroscope charged by induction

E-S7 : Piezo Electric Generator

Unit

Electricity

Purpose

To demonstrate the Piezo electric effect

Equipment

Piezo Electric Generator

Suggestions

Put one hand on each lever and push down with one hand at a time. Small sparks will be visible and audible.

Discussion

E-S8 : Old Tesla Coil

Unit

Electricity

Purpose

To demonstrate high voltage generation

Equipment

  1. Tesla Coil
  2. AC Power source

Suggestions

Make sure not to make the voltage too high otherwise sparks will start flying.

E-S9 : Tesla Coil

Unit

Electricity

Purpose

To demonstrate high voltage generation

Equipment

  1. Tesla Coil
  2. Neon Bulb
  3. Lightning Snake

Suggestions

Caution: Generates very high voltages.

Discussion

  1. Electricity flowing from electrode to electrode
  2. Same as picture one in the dark
  3. Electricity flowing through a neon tube lighting it up
  4. Same as picture three in the dark
  5. Lightning Snake
  6. Lightning Snake in the dark

E-S10 : Van De Graff Generator

Unit

Static Electricity

Purpose

Demonstrate static electricity generation

Equipment

Van de Graff generator

Suggestions

Be very careful about grounding or you will be shocked.

Discussion

  1. Van de Graff generator
  2. Van de Graff generator making the "hair" stand up

E-S11 : Large Van De Graff Generator

Unit

Static Electricity

Purpose

Demonstrate static electricity generation

Equipment

Large Van de Graff generator

Suggestions

Be very careful about grounding or you will be shocked. Use the building ground in the lecture hall to ensure safety.

Discussion

  1. Van de Graff generator

E-S12 : Van De Graff Generator Accesories

Unit

Electrostatics

Purpose

To show different things that static electricity can make things do.

Equipment

  1. Volta's Hail Storm
  2. "Hairs"
  3. Electric Whirl
  4. Candle
  5. Discharge Sphere

Suggestions

Besides the candle and the discharge sphere the rest of the equipment goes on top of the Van de Graff generator. Candle should be placed between the generator and a discharge sphere.

  1. Volta's Hail storm
  2. "Hairs"
  3. "Hairs" standing up
  4. Electric Whirl
  5. Candle
  6. Discharge Sphere

E-S13 : Whimshurst Generator

Unit

Static Electricity

Purpose

Demonstrate static electricity generation

Equipment

Whimshurst generator

Suggestions

  1. Caution: Produces high voltages
  2. Start with small sparks and gradually increase the electrode seperation.

Discussion

E-S14 : Discharge Tubes

Unit

Electrostatics

Purpose

Illustrate the effect of high voltage discharges

Equipment

  1. Tesla Coil
  2. Discharges Tubes
  3. Connecting Wires

Suggestions

Be careful around high voltage equipment.

Discussion

1-4. Discharge tubes in operation

E-S15 : Properties of the electron

Unit

Atomic Physics

Purpose

To show that electrons have mass

Equipment

  1. Tesla Coil
  2. Discharge Tubes
  3. Connecting Wires

Suggestions

Be careful around high voltage equipment.

  1. Equipment
  2. Tube with coils turned on
  3. Wheel spinning in the dark
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