The Amazing Static Balloon!

Question: Can static electricity attract a can, paper, and water?

Hypothesis: We predict that if we have a strong enough static charge we can move a can, paper, and water because one object has a positive charge and the balloon has a negative one.  Positives and negatives attract, but two of the same kind repel.   

Picture
Our Experiment
Materials:
  • Balloons
  • Paper
  • Empty cans
  • Dish towel/hair
  • Air pump/mouth 
  • Water jug (possibly)/sink

Safety Procedures:

NONE

Procedure:

Here are the steps to the Amazing Static Balloon experiment!!!!
  1. Gather materials
  2. Pump up one balloon
  3. Rub balloon on dish towel or hair
  4. Put paper on balloon (paper will attract to the balloon)
  5. Pump up another balloon
  6. Charge it
  7. Get can
  8. Move away from can with balloon (can will follow!!)
  9. Pump up and charge last balloon
  10. Go by sink and turn it on but slightly (if no sink pour water into somewhere slowly)
  11. Put balloon close to water (water will attract)




Special Needs: sink or bottles of water



Picture
Science Night 2014

Watch us in action:

The Science behind it + results


When you charge the balloon with your hair or a piece of wool some of the electrons go onto the balloon.    

Paper - The paper is a positive charge so it will attract to the balloon which is now a negative charge.  It's like two magnets. Paper stuck to balloon.

Can -  The reason the can is moving along with the balloon is because it has a positive charge and positive charges attract to negative ones.  Can attracted to balloon. 
 
Water - The water starts as a neutral charge which means it has the same amount of positives as negatives. But when the negatives from the balloon goes near the water it starts to slowly go to the balloon. It goes slowly because the positive half is attracted to it but the negative wants to stay away from the balloon. So the water slowly gets attracted to the balloon.  Water attracted to balloon.  

The reason this even happens - The reason any of this happens is because materials are made of atoms that are normally electrically neutral because they contain equal positive (protons in their nuclei) and negative charges (electrons in their " shells" surrounding thing nucleus).  The phenomenon of static electricity requires separation of positive and negative charges.  When two materials are in contact, electrons may move from one material to the other, which leaves an excess of positive charge on one material, and an equal negative charge on the other.  When the materials are separated they retain this charge imbalance. 


Conclusion

We accept our hypothesis because in conclusion the balloon attracted paper, cans and water with the negative charge it got from the wool or hair. 

About Joseph

Joseph is ten years old and plays football, baseball and track. He is good friends with everyone in his group.

About Cole 

Cole is ten years old and plays football, basketball, and lacrosse.  He likes to snowboard and his favorite football team is the Giants.

About Quin

Quin is ten years old and plays football, basketball, lacrosse, swimming, and golf. He likes to ski, likes the Super Bowl and the Olympics