Static electricity experiement

As part of our Metals and Magnets unit, we looked into static electricity. Once everyone had had a go with the different materials (balloons, plastic rulers), we had a class discussion. 

This resulted is us realising that static electricity will only pick up light things, to which Anika H said that she was able to lift the heavy A1 sugar paper that was being held on the whiteboard with a magnet strip. So out came the balloon again and she was right.

We had another class discussion on how this could happen as the paper is heavy? See our thinking below. Then we used a magnet to test out some of the thinking and decide if it was true or false. 

Great hands on learning, great discussion and great opportunity to test our new knowledge.     

 

Why did the balloon lift the paper on the whiteboard but not on the floor?

Darryl: The whiteboard is magnetic and the magnet goes through the paper and it lifts the paper up from the whiteboard. Then it sticks to the balloon. FALSE

David: The balloon couldn’t lift up the paper on the floor because the floor does not have iron in it. FALSE

Deysharn: The floor isn’t magnetic. TRUE

Ella: The balloon has lots of magnetic stuff in it but the floor doesn’t. The whiteboard has iron in it. FALSE

Mia: It is hanging up on the whiteboard. On the floor it can’t go up because it is lying flat on the ground.

Katelyn: On the board it is easier for the balloon to get it but on the floor it is not that easy.

Ella: On the whiteboard it is light because it is hanging up. On the floor it is heavy because it is lying flat.