Holding Charge

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In this trick, learners discover how to stick a straw to the palm of their hand, window door, or anywhere using static electricity. This activity introduces learners to negative and positive charges and shows how opposites attract. Note: this trick works best in low humidity (dry air).

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
1 cent - $1 per student
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 18
Resource Type:
Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per student)

  • Plastic straw in paper wrapper (if no wrapper is available, use a paper napkin)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Physical Sciences
    • Electricity and Magnetism
      • Electric Charges and Currents
    • Structure and Properties of Matter
      • Elementary Particles and Nuclear Physics
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations

Informal Categories

  • Science Festivals Activity

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • Muller, Eric

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Do Science, 1995