NEW ZEALAND PHYSICS TEACHERS' RESOURCE BANK

A Shocking Experience

 

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John Hannah gets a shock

 
Abstract

A Van de Graaff generator is used to make hair stand on end, generate sparks and so on.

Portable Yes
Principles Illustrated
Electric fields and electric forces.
NCEA & Science Curriculum
SCI 1.2, PHYS 1.3, PHYS 2.6
Teacher Guide
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Video
High quality (15MB): Van de Graaff.mp4 || Compressed (2MB): Van de Graaff.mov || Compressed (2MB): Van de Graaff.wmv
Instructions

Turn the crank and watch the sparks! Or stand on an insulated floor (or polystyrene board) with a hand on the generator and make hair stand up on a dry day. Or make threads taped to the generator stand up like hair. Or tape a styrofoam cup full of styrofoam peanuts to the top and turn on the generator, causing the peanuts to fly out. Or shock students (less painful on the knuckles).

It is also possible to do more sophisticated demonstrations such as charging by induction.

 
Safety

 

The spark can make a person jump. Do not allow people with pacemakers or other medical electronics to use the device.
Individual teachers are responsible for safety in their own classes. Even familiar demonstrations should be practised and safety-checked by individual teachers before they are used in a classroom.
Related Resources
Capacitor Spark
References
PIRA 5A50.30, PIRA 5B10.10
Credits

This teaching resource was developed with support from
 

This machine was borrowed from Queen Margaret College in Wellington. We have a motor-driven version pictured above that gives quite a kick!

Copyright

Copyright and fair use statement