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Investigating Static Electricity

Conference Paper · December 1994

DOI: 10.13140/2.1.4301.5202

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NSTA AREA CONIVENTION

Ias Vegas, Nevada

December l?17,1994

Energize Your Future utitlt Science

cene Butler
Convention Chairperson
Clark County School District
601 N. Ninth St.
Las Vegas, NV 89101

Roxie Esterle
Program Coordinator
California State University
Dominguez Hills
1000 Victoria St
C*6on, CA,90747

Lynn Kiehlbauch
Airangements Coordinator
Eisenberg Elementary School
7770 Ruby Valley Ave,
Las Vegas, NV 89129

NATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

1840 Vilson Blvd.
Arlington, V A 22201-3000

An affiiiate of the American Associarion for the Advancement of Science

""*"n'o*'00"" L"9 ve4ts \93Y
4:O0-5:00 PM FEATURED PRESENTATION

Dlrt Mad€ My Lunclu Teachtng Sclence Tlrough Muslc, Movement, Puppets, and
Theater (Ecol)
(Prcscbool-Elementary) Balh.oom C, Hihon

Speakers
The Banana Slug Stdng Band
Santa Cruz, Calii

Presider: Roxie Esterle, Program Coordinator, Ias Vegas Area Convention, and California
Academy of Mathematics and Scieoce, Carson

Come ioin these credentialed teachers and environmental educator turned musicians. The
Banana Slug String Band has given science a sense of humor, and because ofit, kids everywhere
have discovered that leaming about nature can be a whole lot of fun. Their performance has
been described as a crcss between a hootenanny, a vaudeville routine, and a science class.
Come ready to do the V/ater Cycle Boogie, rap with .The Nature Man," and sing along with
their rollicking musical revue.

4:00-5:00PM RECEPIION
SCST Receptlon
Balb'oorn F, Hihon

4:00-5:00 PM LECTURD/DISCUSSIONS

sEsstoN r
(Mkldle IaEl) N2O7/2oa, ContEntion Centet
Investlgatlve Iabs on Electrtclty tnJunior Hlgh School (rhystcal Sct)
.t Nahum ldpnts, Bakken Museum, Minneapolis, Minn.

SESSION tr (two lectures)

(General) N225/226, ConLen ion Center
Interdl3clp|llrary Ft€ld TdF for Your Staff (Muftf)
DelmarJante, Texas A&M University, College Station
Bounclng lr o Scteoce and M.thematlcs (Muftfl
Donqa F. Bedln and Afthur L Vhlte, National Center for Science Teaching and Leamin!
Ohio State University, Columbus

4:00-5:00 PM PANEI.S}
Slstemlc Reform: Pulllng the Pleces Together (sTs)
(General) N116, CoruEntion Centet
vende Allen, St tee/ide Systemic Initiative Technical Assisance project, Education Develop
ment Center, Inc., NeMon, Mass.
Kathy Dnarna, Califomia Science Implementation Network. lrvine
Bob Brtggs, Statewide Systemic Initiative, SIMMS Prolecr, Montana
Susan MdntoslL Gonzalez Elementary School, Santa Fe, N.Mex.
A panel of SSI reformers will share insights from three cases.

You, Too, Could Be a PreEldentlal Awatdee (Mut

(Genercl) N2O9/2 1 O, Conuefltion Cent,
Emma Walton and Joseph V. St€wart, National Science Foundation, tulington, Va.
Pamela Salazar, Green valley High School, Henderson, Nev,
Presider: Michael C. Lang, CSSS President, and Ar.izona Dept. of Education, phoenix

86
 Nahum Kipnis, ph.D.

:ssz_*ffil,LiH"f"d*yrH:ffirssaro
phone: (612) 927-6508; fax (6ri) gi_t-iis:"i_^ n: Nkipni@aol.com

INVESTIGATIVE EXPERIMENTS ON
STAT]C ELECTRICITY
NSTA Convention, Las Vegas, tzlt6lsc

The purpose ot rhis oresentarion is. to exprain

the concept of. invesrigarive rabs for grades
'r^,zr?,;""til.
8-12 usins examprei uor ird.r]iiiiv.
rl,i: ro teaching r"irr"Elii"i rraDs are a componenr of rhe
histoticar-investigative aDoroach.
creveroped at the Bakken
Museum and described in my boot_Redrbco
approach is applicabl€ to any science. Here
i"iii oiiliire rhe enctosed ). The
arj itJr"iri't""trr"",
HISTORICAL.INVESTIGATIVE APPROACH

l. Why history?
works. we musr so ro rhe ord science,
l;li"tllfl lilili.ll;'rscience because rhe modern
2. To show science as a human enlerprise.
3. To realize lhat old lheoriFs tonl dse Ureir
usefulness when new theories appear.
from rhe pasr a number .i iirprJlrriirr""L
:i ltir.ill ,n",
""n
be made by srudenrs
5. Beproducing a historical experiment makes a
student a "discoverer..

ll. Why investigations?

1. Experimentation helos in understanding scientilic
concepb.
rearn m u ch mo re rorn trZi i ;-i.'ii,r,-.i,i ii!
i; f l,Xiiljiril rts than f ro m reach er,s
3. rnvestigative experimenrs are more suitabre rhan
other experiments to reach srudents
the art of scientific lhinking, necessary in every proresston.
4. lnvestigative experimenrs eilptrasize-o&t inJ'j*lJ#""0
shourd be inrerestins in itself, but ooraining a'ilrieJii.lrrt, the resurr. Experimenring
beclme equally interesting anO important. " even if incomprbte, musr
5' Stuctenrs shourd b€oin rearning the art of investigation
with quaritarive experiments.
3;,::ff:'.'r:tJilo""iisative€xperrftJ.i.t;;-o";;;;$i'i'p'.oper'combin"rion'Jieaciiiis
z' {fe-n properry conducred, investigarive experimenrs
stimurate students, acrivitv.
creativity,setrconfidence, and setf-r6tiance.
students a sense of a special accomplistrment.
HdiluJ.;;ffij;il;ilil"ilo'J,,"..
An investigalive rab teaches .!!ggnt: th^e arl of asking
questions
their own by means of an experimenr. sr"tt r"6'i.'L-iar"tecr and tinding answers on
i accoding to a certain pran
PLAN OF AN INVESTIGATION

PRELIMINARY PART

1. Background
2. lnitial o bserval ions/experiments
 Nahum Kipnis, Ph.D. 2
Bakken Library and Museum
3537 Znnth Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55416
phone: (612) 927-6508; fax: (612) 927-7265; e-mail: Nkipni@aol.com

INVESTIGATIVE EXPERIMENTS ON STATIC ELECTRICITY

NSTA Convention, Las Vegas, 12l16/94

3. Formulating a problem

4. Selecting variables
5. Selecting a procedure

MAIN PART

Variable 1

a. Preliminary erperiments
b. Hypolhesis
c. Tesl
d. Conclusion
Variable 2

a. Preliminary experimenls
b. Hypolhesis
c. Test

d. Conclusion
CiENERALCot{cIIJgON

A sample ot an invesligation:
A simple fully-disassemblable el€ctrostatic gen€rator (see the plans) can be used not
only as a source of electricity lor various labs bul also for an invesligative lab on how to
make a good generator. You can measure its quality by the length ot the spark, or a
shock, or by the angle made by an electrometer. One can see lhat changing such parts ot
this generator as the rubbing material, lhe drum, lhe prime conductor, and the points,
can affect the results. This means lhat each of thes€ parameters can be a variable. I
will show how to inv€sligate, for instanc€, the prime @nduclor using the tormat of a
separate experiment.

lnvestigating the prime conductor

Part 1 (qualitative)
Background: The tirst mechanical device lo make electricity was invented by Francis
Hauksbee, lhe demonstrator of lhe Royal Society ol London, in 1704. lt was used for a
 Nahum Kipnis, Ph.D. 3
Bakken Library and Museum
3537 Znnith Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55416
phone: (612) 927-6508; far (612) 927-7265; e-mail: Nkipni@aol.com

INVESTIGATIVE EXPERIMENTS ON STATIC ELECTRICITY

NSTA Convention, Las Vegas, t2l16/94

single purpose of studying light in vacuum produced by electrization. The first all-
purpose generalor was introduced in 1743 by Georg Bose, a professor from Witenberg,
Germany. Bose also made an important discovery of lhe prime conduclor from which
electricity could be easily taken oul. ll started as a chance observalion: when a sword
located near a gensralor was louched with a finger, it drew a spark.
lnitial experiments: Firsl show a demo: a prime conductor made of wooden cylinder
covered with sticky aluminum foil is set on a plastic support. A piece of a metal grid is
attached to the side directed towards the drum. Crank the generator and louch the prime
conductor: a spark strikes your tinger. The spark's length can be an indicaior of
€lectrical power. Lel students repeat this experiment and modify it by changing the
prime conductor (wooden dowel, metal tube), the support (wood, styrofoam), changing
the distance trom the drum, removing the points, etc.
Selecting variablss: the power of the generator appears to depend on: material ol the
prime conductor, material ot support, presence ot points, etc.

variabte ,,
,nr,"lfflN:i1tn" pr,'" conductor
Preliminary experiments: repeat the experiment with wood and metal tube,
keeping everything else, includlng points, constant. Wood does nol work, metal tube
&es.
Hypothesis. Not all conductors work, perhaps it must be a metal.
Test. Try a metal can, a long wir€, a long nail, and a toilet tissue cardboard core
covered wilh aluminum foil. Fix them in lurn to the top of a plastic cup using an
adhesive putty. They all work.
Conclusion: metal prime conduclors work, whether solid, hollow, or a lhin sheet
covering anolh€r malerial.

Variable 2: material ot lhe supporl

Preliminary experimenls: Us€ lhe same prime @nductor with such supports as a
plastic cup and a wooden block. The spark is produced with the former but not with the
lalter.
Hypolhesis: a support must be non-conducting.
Test: try slyrofoam cup and a melal can. lt works wilh slyrofoam but nol with metal.
Conclusion: the hypothesis is true: a supporl musl be an insulator.

Variable 3: points
Preliminary experiments: First, try the standard prime conductor set on a pVC
pipe with and wilhout points: no spark appears in the absence of points. Then place the
same prim€ conductor on the top ot a styrofoam cup and repeal lhe experiment with the
cup al different distances from the drum. When the prime conductor is close lo the
drum, a weak spark can be oblained.
Hypolhesis: a prime conduclor can work wilhout points it it is sufficiently close to the
drum.
Tesl: try as a prime conductor a wire, a nail, a tin can without any poinls. They all
produce a spark, although not strong.
Conclusion: the hypothesis is @rrecl: a prime conductor can work without points, but
points make lhe effect stronger.
 Nahum Kipnis, Ph.D. 4
Bakken Library and Museum
3537 Znnth Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55416
phone: (612) 927-6508; tax: (612) 927-7265; e-mail: Nkipni@aol.com

INVESTIGATIVE EXPERIMENTS ON STATIC ELECTRICITY

NSTA Convention, Las Vegas, 12l16/94

CTNERALCCNCIUS|oN
A primo conductor musl include a melal body thal is insulated from the
baso. To increass its power, points should be altached lo it.
Part 2 (quantitative)
lnilial experiments: ln the first part, ditf€rent prime conduciors produced diflerent
results: for inslance, a stesl coffee can crealed a much longer spark than a steel wir€.
Formulaling a problem: check whether lhe difference in the elfect produced by
different prime conductors does not r€sult from lheir dimensions.
Selgcting variables: we can try to use such variables as length and diameler.
Procedure: same as in Part 1.

Variable l: diameter
Preliminary experimenls: Select a wire and a large nail ol the same length. The
nail produces a stronger spark than a wire.
Hypothesis: The greater the diameler of a prime @nductor, lhe stronger the elfecl.
Test: Cover PVC or cardboard tubes of different diameter with aluminum foil, keeping
the length ol lhe wrap the same. The wider lube works better.
Conclusion: The hypothesis is correct.
Variable 2: lenoth
Preliminary experiments: compare two identical wires of different lenglh. The
longer wire produces a longer spark.
Hypothesis: The longer the prime conductor, the bener.
Tesl: Take several cardboard or plastic tubes of the same diameter and make foil
coverings of 10,20, and 40 cm long.
Conclusion: The hypothesis is lrue.
GENEML@TICLI'ISION:
increasing both lhe length and the diameter of a prime conductor improves its work.

Students must be laught how to do an investigation. A teacher can starl with an

investigativ€ d€mo, then proceod wilh a few labs where teach€r's role will gradually
diminish and students' independence increase. But even when studenls do everything by
themselves it remains teach€r's duty to summarize the results and insist on repeaiing
lhe experiment if there is a disagreemenl between students about the resulls. Here lies
the difterence between an ordinary open-end experiment and lhe investigalive one: in the
former case a teacher is satisfied with involving studenls and does not care much for the
result; in the latter case, both lhe plocess and resull are equally imporlant. An
invesligative experiment is a true discovery, even if incomplete. For lhis reason, it
makes sense whenever possible lo give sludenls an opportunity to repeat lhe aclual
discoveries ol the pasl.
L

REDISCOVERING OPTICS
By Nahum Kipnis

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and a manual on how to do investigative experiments. The
book recommends studying optical concepts as in the process of
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made of readily available materials student.s can reconstruct
important discoveries of the past. This will deepen their under-
standing of optical concepts and provide an insight into the
nature of science and the profession of a scientist, which may
affecr some students' choice of science or engineering as their future profession.

Science teachers can use this book for both improving their own command of optics and for
classroom work with students in various subjects containing units on light or vision, such as
physics, physical science, biology, astronomy, and others. Motivated high-school students can
study this book independently: most of it is non-mathematioal, but math lovers will t-ind interest-
ing challenges too. While pertbrming at home the experiments described, students will leam the
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olympiads. and other similar competidons.
Soft cover, 210 pp.,200 diagrams and illustrations, $24.95, ISBN 0-9636784-0-X.

"...an outstanding text for high school students interested in science"

(The Science Teacher, April 1994, p. 65)
"...ideal as a reference tool for enriching a physical science class"
(School Science and Mathematics, vol.94 (4), Apnl 1994, p.215)

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