Experiments on electrostatics

Entry published previously in Science in the XXIst.
To children of any age, adolescents and adults it is easy to show them the marvels of the electrostatics simple with experiments that can be done at home. If you touch a friend and feel to a cramp nothing it has to do neither with positive energies nor divine auras. It is, simply, electrostatic.
Electrical pendulum
It is the simplest thing that serves itself in electrical experiment, after a boli bic rubs in the hair and to bring it over to small role pieces. There consists, simply, of a little boll of porexpan polystyrene (in many books they say elder marrow, as if it was something that is in the supermarket or in the quisoco of the corner) hung by a thin thread. On having brought over a rod of vídrio or of plastic, the sphere is attracted. It leaves that it sticks, you will see that to a little time is repelled. It is due to the fact that the load that the rod adopted as rubbing is distributed between the above mentioned rod and the little boll, until two bodies have the same load. And we already know that bodies with the same load to be repel. If the experiment wants to recur we must touch the little boll, pair unload it. Calm, that you do not electrocute yourself.

Electroscope
Designed by Gilbert, this simple device allows us sabersin difficulty if a body is loaded or not. In this video he explains himself marvelously, so there it stays. And you can see this linkage to construct one at home.

Versorio
It is very similar to the electrostatic small mill, which allows to see clearly the effect of the tops. The charges tend to accumulate in the areas where there are tops, and in the surface of the driver. That's why the lightning rods have the form that they usually show.

Others

• If you take a plastiquito of the envelopes of lime tree and rub it, you can give it in a smooth wall and leave it there for hours.
• The mythical experiment of the pen and the roles does not need explanation, although any pupils come to 3rd from THAT without never having realized it.
• If you rub a balloon in the hair or in the clothes you can do the same that on of lime tree, to give it to the wall. The balloon pegón lasts less adhered to the surface for a simple reason: the weight.
• Etc.

Entry written by Eugenio Manuel Fernández Aguilar