You Need
1 plastic shelf, 1 rabbit fur or wool cloth, 1 sturdy plastic drinking glass, hot glue gun,1 aluminium cookie or cake pan,
1 fluorescent light bulb, 1 empty pop can
What to Do
Attach an insulating handle to a rectangular aluminium cookie or cake pan. A sturdy plastic drinking glass can be used.
Use hot glue to attach it.
Set the cookie or cake pan down on top of the charged plastic shelf. Touch the
pan briefly. (You will experience a mild shock.) Use the plastic drinking glass
as an insulating handle to lift the cake pan off the shelf. Touch the pan again.
Charge the shelf again. Place the cake pan on the charged shelf. This time,
discharge the cake pan through the base of a small fluorescent lamp held in
your hand. Lift the cake pan, and touch it with the lamp again! How often can
Charge a polystyrene plastic bookshelf, by rubbing it with wool or fur. You will hear a crackling sound as the shelf is being electrically charged. This shelf will
then be an excellent source of negative charge.
Set the cookie or cake pan down on top of the charged plastic shelf. Touch the
pan briefly. (You will experience a mild shock.) Use the plastic drinking glass
as an insulating handle to lift the cake pan off the shelf. Touch the pan again.
Charge the shelf again. Place the cake pan on the charged shelf. This time,
discharge the cake pan through the base of a small fluorescent lamp held in
your hand. Lift the cake pan, and touch it with the lamp again! How often can
you repeat this process? (For the best effect, turn off room lights.)
Charge the shelf again. Place an empty pop can, on its side, at either end of the bookshelf. Watch what happens to the pop can.