Human Conductor of Electricity
ZOT! Experiment time!
We use electricity to power our lamps. How about generating your own electricity to power the lamp? Electrical charge ise transferred from one body to another while rubbing the two bodies. This can be seen when bits of paper are lifted in the air by a comb rubbed onto dry hair.
Electrons are relatively free to jump from one atom to the next, and they’re attracted to some materials more than others. When you rub a balloon on your hair, electrons from your hair jump over to the balloon and stay there. The inside of a fluorescent tube is coated with a white material made up of phosphors. If you bombard phosphors with ultraviolet light, they re-emit visible light. Inside the tube mercury vapors are also present. When electrons strike the mercury atoms, ultraviolet light is generated. This ultraviolet light, on striking the phosphors, generates a glow.
When a spark jumps, you get a big release of energy and a correspondingly brighter glow.
Problem:
To see if humans are able to generate light in a fluorescent bulb without using an electric cord.
Materials:
A Fluorescent light bulb;
A Balloon(dry);
Your dry hair.
Procedure:
Darken the room.
Rub the balloon on your hair for some time on all sides.
Hold the bulb in one hand and the balloon in the other.
Bring the balloon close to the bulb, but don’t touch them.
Observe if the bulbs lights up or there are sparks. If there are any sparks, they will move along with the movement of the bulb.
Touch the bulb with the balloon and see if the sparks jump.
Conclusion Questions:
Try the above experiment with ping pong balls and other materials and see what happens. Is the effect greater or less when it’s humid?
August 25th, 2008 at 10:40 am
This is great! I did it with my kids.
October 13th, 2008 at 4:04 am
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