Continue with Microsoft TeamsRead The Experiment
Electric Cereal
Try this experiment to see static electricity at work.
What You Need
What You Do
What You Need
- Hard plastic comb
- Liquid soap
- Dish towel or paper towel
- 30 cm of thread
- Piece of dry O-shaped cereal
- Wool mitten or sock
- Table
- Tape
- Balloon (optional)
What You Do
- Tie one end of the thread to a piece of cereal.
- Tape the other end of the thread to the top of a table, so the cereal hangs in the air. The cereal should not be too close to anything.
- Wash the comb with soap to make sure there is no oil on the comb. Carefully rinse away all of the soap. Dry the comb with the towel. (Make sure the comb is completely dry.)
- Rub the comb quickly on the wool for several moments. Predict what will happen when you bring the comb close to the cereal.
- a) Slowly bring the comb close to the cereal. Do not touch the comb to the cereal. At a certain point, the cereal should move. Record what happens.
b) Hold the comb still until the cereal moves again. Note how the cereal moves this time. - Once again, slowly bring the comb closer to the cereal. See if you can make the comb touch the cereal. Record what happens.
Optional - If a balloon is available, blow the balloon up and tie off the end. Repeat steps 4 through 6, using the balloon instead of the comb. Note any differences in the results.
To learn more about this experiment, watch the video by Mrs. Halka on Youtube.
Now Show What You Know!
Complete some questions about the reading selection by clicking “Begin Questions” below.