Easy
Science Fair Projects
Easy science fair projects, are something that every student that
are relatively simple but will still leave others with a "WOW"
factor. This article will describe three easy science fair projects
that are based on static electricity.
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It's important to read all instructions
and to take the appropriate safety precautions.
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Project One
What you will need:
- A comb
- Thread
- Small pieces of dry cereal (O-shaped or puffed rice of wheat)
What to do:
1.) Measure a twelve-inch piece of thread and secure one piece
of cereal to the end. Attach the other end of the thread to something
such as a table but make sure that the cereal does not hang close
to anything else.
2.) Remove oils, dirt, and hair strands from the comb by washing
it. Make sure that it is entirely dry before you use it.
3.) Fill the comb with static electricity by rubbing it on a sweater
or by combing long, dry hair with it a few times.
4.) Lift the comb near the cereal. The cereal will move towards
the comb. Hold the comb where it is until the cereal moves away
on its own.
5.) Bring the comb near the cereal again. This time, the cereal
will move away from the comb.
6.) A balloon can also be used in place of the comb.
What happens: Electrons are moved from hair or a sweater to the
comb. Because the comb was charged with a negative static charge
the comb, which was neutral, was attracted to it. When they meet,
the electrons are taken away from the comb and put into the cereal.
Because both items had the same static charge, the cereal was not
attracted to it and moved away.
Project Two
What you need:
- A comb or balloon
- A sink with a water faucet
What to do:
1.) Run the water out of the faucet until the stream is about 1/8
inch thick. Fill the comb with static electricity by brushing long,
dry hair with it a few times or by rubbing it on a sweater.
2.) Lift the comb near to the water and watch the water bend towards
the comb.
3.) A balloon can be used in place of a comb for this project.
What happens: As in the above experiment, electrons were moved
from the hair or sweater to the water, which had a neutral charge.
When the water touched the comb, the electrons were removed.
Project Three
What you need:
- Hard rubber comb
- A dark room
- A fluorescent light bulb (not an incandescent)
Safety Note: Electricity from a wall outlet should not be used
for this experiment. The bulb should be covered in sticky tape to
avoid injury on the chance the bulb should break.
1.) Using the comb and the bulb, make sure the room is dark.
2.) Put a static charge into the comb by rubbing it on a sweater.
Rub aggressively and many times to build up a high charge.
3.) Lift the comb to the bulb so they touch. Small sparks will form.
This experiment can be varied by touching different parts of the
bulb with different parts of the comb.
As you can see, these three easy science fair projects are fairly
simple yet fun to do and exciting for those to who you will show
the experiments.
Note: See the Disclaimer
before starting this project.
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