Lesson – Exploring Electrical Forces Lab

Problem Statement

How does static electricity work?

Materials

• Scraps of paper from a hole punch
• Pieces of wool
• Plastic rulers

Procedure

1. Place 15-20 scraps of paper from a hole punch on the table.
2. Take a plastic ruler and rub it with a piece of wool.
3. Bring the ruler close to the pieces of paper.
4. Observe the effect the ruler has on the scraps of paper.
   • What happens to the pieces of paper when the ruler is brought close to them?
   • What happens to the pieces of paper when they come in contact with the ruler?
   • Did you observe any unexpected results when the ruler was brought close to the paper scraps? If so,describe these results.