Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Static Electricity: Creating Lightning on Much Smaller Scale
In this elementary science activity, students will experiment with static electricity using balloons. After investigating how balloons attract and repel various objects, students will watch a simulation of static electricity to help gain...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: How Do Different Materials React to Static Electricity?
Polyester clothing was generally accepted as a popular trend in fashion at one point in history. Now everybody wears cotton, which doesn't get static cling nearly as much. Why are some materials more susceptible to static cling than...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Rubbing Up Against Static Electricity
A tried and true balloon activity is to rub a balloon on your head to make your hair stand up. Learn how the rubbing builds up static electricity using this experiment to see if the number of rubs makes a difference.
Science Bob Pflugfelder
Science Bob: Bend Water With Static Electricity!
Contains a procedure for illustrating electrostatic attraction between opposite charges by causing a thin stream of water to bend. The site gives a brief discussion of static electricity, as well.
Science Bob Pflugfelder
Science Bob: Roll a Can With Static Electricity
Science Bob presents instructions for a science demonstration on how to roll a can with static electricity using common supplies with information on how it works.
Miami University
The Atoms Family: Static Electricity
This site contains a simple experiment that you can do at home that explains static electricity.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The Science of Static Electricity
We've all had the experience: you're walking across a soft carpet, you reach for the doorknob and ZAP. But what causes this trademark jolt of static electricity? Anuradha Bhagwatsheds light on the phenomenon by examining the nature of...
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Physics/electricity & Magnetism
Exploratorium Science Snacks are miniature science exhibits and experiments that can be made with common, inexpensive, easily available materials. These electricity snacks represent a set of devices that you can build and experiment with...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Put a Spark in It! Electricity
Uncountable times every day "with the merest flick of a finger"each one of us calls on electricity to do our bidding. What would your life be like without electricity? Students begin learning about electricity with an introduction to the...
Scholastic
Scholastic: Dirtmeister's Science Lab: Hair Raising Science
A great experiment to show students how electrons move by static electricity. This site includes web links, a challenge question, and notes for the teacher.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Electrical Fleas
Create your own "flea" circus in this activity by using the effects of static electricity. Students will observe a charged object attraction to the opposite charge causing the object to jump.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Kids Science Projects and Experiments: Static Electricity
Kids learn by experimenting with science. Project on electricity with a static charge.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Timeline of Electricity and Magnetism: 1700 1749
Aided by tools such as static electricity machines and Leyden jars, scientists continue their experiments into the fundamentals of magnetism and electricity.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Take Charge!
Students come to understand static electricity by learning about the nature of electric charge, and different methods for charging objects. In a hands-on activity, students induce an electrical charge on various objects, and experiment...
Science is Fun
Science Is Fun: Bending Water
An experiment where static electricity is used to 'bend' a stream of water flowing from a faucet. Includes a detailed explanation of how this works.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Charge It!
Students use a balloon to perform several simple experiments to explore static electricity and charge polarization.
Curated OER
Library of Congress: Everyday Mysteries: Static Electricity
A picture of two girls hair raising experience with static electricity.
Museum of Science
Museum of Science and Industry: Online Science: Cling to Me
A set of four station activities involving static electricity that can easily be done in the classroom.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Sulfur Globe 1660
In the 17th century, German scientist Otto von Guericke built and carried out experiments with a sulfur globe that produced static electricity.
Colorado State University
Little Shop of Physics: The Amazing Physics of Everyday Objects
Try out these experiments you can do with items you might already have around the house: "Two Ball Bounce," "Cartesian Diver," "Straw Flute," "Bernoulli Ball," and others. Two experiments, "Imploding Pop Can" and "Balloon in a Bottle,"...
University of Kentucky
Elecroscope Lab
This site is actually a lab from the University of Kentucky Electrical Engineering Department. It is an excellent experiment that can be done at the high school level.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: How Do Balloons Interact When Rubbed Together?
Students investigate how two balloons interact with objects and each other when rubbed with a wool cloth. The students will also develop new testable questions and perform experiments to further their learning.
Other
K 3 Learning Pages: Web Resources Thunderstorms
Check out this comprehensive list of web resources on thunderstorms and safety. Students and teachers will benefit from the links found on this site.
University of California
University of California Berkeley: Charging an Electroscope by Induction
From the U.C. Berkeley Physics Lecture Demonstrations website. A thorough description of an activity in which a charged metal plate is used to charge an electroscope by induction. Complete directions and a diagram of the equipment and...