Year 10 Get a ‘Hair-Raising’ Experience with Static Electricity!
This term, Year 10 students have been diving into the fascinating world of static electricity in their Physics lessons. One of the highlights has been their hands-on experience with the Van de Graaff generator—a device that never fails to spark curiosity! The Van de Graaff generator works by building up a static charge. As the rubber belt inside the machine moves, it transfers electrons onto a metal dome, creating a large positive charge. When a student places their hands on the dome, the charge spreads through their body, repelling individual hairs from one another causing that classic ‘hair-raising’ effect! Students have explored how static charge builds up through friction and how it can be discharged, often in the form of a small spark. They have had a great time!
Mrs Honeyman
Curriculum Leader for Science
