My 12 year old son expressed an interest in static electricity as a topic for his science project this year. He wants to determine which materials produce the greatest static charge. Being an electrical engineer and contractor, he, of course, asked his dad for help. The problem is obvious - how does one measure the size of a static charge? What type of measuring device exists, if any? I have been in this industry for 28 years, and I have to admit, I never thought about this. Any ideas?
Son's Science Project
- Thread starter PhilsElec
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Son's Science Project
Good suggestion, I didn't think about a visual depiction of the size of the arc. I guess my mathematical brain was thinking along the lines of somehow measuring the amount of energy contained in the arc, thereby allowing a means of recording energy vs. material which produced the charge. This would certainly provide a direct correlation between each material and the "spark" it produces under controlled conditions. Perhaps a high speed picture would allow a means to indirectly document the size of each respective material's energy.
Good suggestion, I didn't think about a visual depiction of the size of the arc. I guess my mathematical brain was thinking along the lines of somehow measuring the amount of energy contained in the arc, thereby allowing a means of recording energy vs. material which produced the charge. This would certainly provide a direct correlation between each material and the "spark" it produces under controlled conditions. Perhaps a high speed picture would allow a means to indirectly document the size of each respective material's energy.
mdshunk
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- Right here.
There is a device to measure static. I've seen it used in a large printshop. Apparently, static wreaks havoc on the printing process. The device was about the size of your hand and didn't look complicated or expensive.
Durnit... I went to see if I could Google up a pic, and I found the exact one they use in their printshop:
Durnit... I went to see if I could Google up a pic, and I found the exact one they use in their printshop:
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dbuckley
Senior Member
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- Canterbury, New Zealand
Several centuries before Electrostatics Inc started up shop making that cute meter, scientists of the day used an Electrometer to detect and measure static charge, and thats what I used at school a few decades ago. Perhaps the school still has one?
It's fairly easy to make an electroscope--see, for example, these links:
http://www.arborsci.com/CoolStuff/cool18.htm
http://www.ece.rochester.edu/~jones/demos/electroscope.html
It might be a bit much for a 12-year-old, but the video lectures from MIT's Electricity & Magnetism course with Prof. Walter Lewin are pretty good. Where else can you see a professor beating a student with cat fur?
http://www.arborsci.com/CoolStuff/cool18.htm
http://www.ece.rochester.edu/~jones/demos/electroscope.html
It might be a bit much for a 12-year-old, but the video lectures from MIT's Electricity & Magnetism course with Prof. Walter Lewin are pretty good. Where else can you see a professor beating a student with cat fur?
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76nemo
Senior Member
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- Ogdensburg, NY
The main ingredient in laser printing IS static electricity.
This is some info. from the 3M sensor we use at work:
3mstaticsensor718
A little pricey for a school project
This is some info. from the 3M sensor we use at work:
3mstaticsensor718
A little pricey for a school project
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iaov
Senior Member
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- Rhinelander WI
How about a Lieden jar.
mikeames
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- Teacher - Master Electrician - 2017 NEC
iaov said:
Bingo..... I am glad someone posted the obvious. Easy to make as well. Maybe you cant "measure" but you can sure observe.
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