Turn the tap on slowly, stop when you just get a complete stream of water to flow, i.e. small flow.
Run the comb through your hair at least 10 times. Dry hair makes the experiment work better.
Move the comb toward the stream of water. What happens to the stream?
Run the comb through your hair again and repeat the experiment. Does the stream change again?
Get the Electricity & Magnetism Unit of Work here!
- How does electricity actually flow?
- What makes magnets become magnetic?
- Why is there electromagnetism and what does this tell us about electricity & magnetism?
- From series & parallel circuits to conductors & insulators, there’s a lot to explore & learn!
Includes cross-curricular teaching ideas, student quizzes, a sample marking rubric, scope & sequences & more.
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Why Does This Happen
Rubbing an object can cause a build up an electrical charge in the object. This happens because the rubbing action can make one object pass electrons to the other. Which way the electrons travel is dependent on what materials you are rubbing together. A loss of electrons makes an object positively charged, a gain of electrons makes an object negatively charged. So your comb becomes more positive and your hair more negative!
Oppositely charged objects are attracted together. The water is attracted to the comb, so what sort of charge does the water hold? Try picking up small pieces of paper or Styrofoam balls using the comb!
A build-up of electrical charge can cause lightning.
Variables to test
- Does it matter which type of comb that you use?
- What happens if you use a metal comb instead of a plastic one?
- Try a plastic pipe instead of a plastic comb
Create a Buzz!
Years 3 to 6
Maximum 30 students
Workshop or show (NSW & VIC)
60 or 90 minutes
Online Class Available
STEM Full Day Accelerator - Primary
Designed from real classroom experiences, this modular day helps you create consistently effective science learning that directly address the new curriculum with easily accessible and cost-effective materials.
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