Static Electricity Snakes

Materials:

• tissue paper/ kleenex

• Balloon or plastic ruler

• scissors

• something made of wool such as a sweater, carpet or you could even use your hair (to produce the electricity).

If you are using a kleenex pull your kleenex apart making two separate pieces.

Using your kleenex or tissue paper. Start at one end of the kleenex and cut going around and around to make your way to the middle of the kleenex.

Rub the balloon or plastic ruler vigorously over you head, the wool carpet or sweater, then hover the ruler or balloon over the snake’s head.

The snake will begin to rise off the table!

Extend the learning:

– Try using a different type of paper. Will the thicker paper still lift up?

– Decorate the snake with sequins or glitter. Will the extra weight affect how the experiment works?

Tip: It will take quite a lot of rubbing of your plastic ruler to generate enough electrical charge to lift your snake off the table. Try placing the tissue paper snake on a tin plate or lid it could increase the attraction of the tissue paper.