1303 Electrostatic Simulations
  • Write all answers in your bound journal
  • Make it NEAT and in COMPLETE SENTENCES, clearly identify which section you are working (using numbers)
  • Box final answers if doing math.
  • -4pt if you do not title and date the entry
  • -1pt (per infraction) if you do not clearly identify the sections, or number the problems
Balloon Lab
  1. Define electrostatics (use the web)?
  2. Click "Balloon Lab"
  3. Charge the balloon by rubbing it against the sweater. To do this start the simulation Balloons and static. Click and drag the yellow balloon over to the sweater and rub it up and down on the sweater. The balloon will pick up negative charges from the sweater. Confirm that the balloon is charged by dragging it away from the sweater and then releasing the balloon. The negatively charged balloon will be attracted to the positively charged sweater. This method of charging objects by transferring charges between them is called charging by friction or rubbing. In the results, draw a picture of the sweater and balloon. Indicate the charge distribution on both and the direction of the force between them on your drawing.
  4. Charge the wall by bringing the charged yellow balloon near it. The negative charges of the wall are repelled from the balloon and move away while the positive charges remain stationary. Have the balloon touch the wall and it will now stay. This method of charging is known as charging by polarization. It requires polar molecules such as those in the paint on the wall that are free to move around.
  5. What type of charge was transferred from the sweater to the balloon?
  6. What type of charge did the sweater have at the beginning of the experiment?
  7. What type of charge did the sweater have at the end of the experiment?
  8. What type of charge did the edge of the wall have before the experiment?
  9. What type of charge did the edge of the wall have when the balloon was brought near it?
Travoltage
  1. Click link for "Travoltage"
  2. Experiment with rubbing Travolta's foot against the carpet and touching his finger to the door handle.
  3. Now try building up charge while his finger is on the door.
  4. What happens?
  5. Move his finger away again and build up another charge
  6. When Travolta's finger is near the door knob, what happens to the electrons currently in the metal door knob?
  7. This ("R" word) causes a local ("P" word) charge in the door knob.
  8. Why are shocks worse when you touch conductors rather than insulators?
  9. If you take your hat off on a dry winter day, sometimes your hair will stand up. Explain this phenomenon by drawing a diagram below a (indicate charges + and -).
Electric Hockey
  1. Click "Electric Hockey"
  2. The goal of this game is to get the black positive puck to go in the goal.
  3. How can you set up just one negative charge to score a goal? (Remember to hit start)
  4. Clear each time you try a new set up. Reset if you want to retry your current set up.
  5. How can you set up just one positive charge to score a goal?
  6. Change the mass and see what happens.
  7. What happens when the mass is lighter?
  8. Why does the mass affect the speed if it is not apart of the electric force equation (search the web for the equation)?
  9. Reset - Put one positive charge on the surface and one negative charge directly below it.
  10. Check the "Field" box.
  11. Draw the field (you can connect the arrows if you wish)
  12. Set up a triangle of charges, with two positives and one negative. Draw the field lines for this set up.
  13. Now play the game. You can practice a little bit if you want.
  14. Set difficulty to 1, then 2, then 3. When you beat each level, draw your set up, and show me. Hint: leaving the field box checked might help you