A Shocking Experience: the Van de Graaff Generator

Abstract

Download video below
Download video below

A Van de Graaff generator is used to make hair stand on end, generate sparks and so on.

Portable

Yes

Principles Illustrated

Electric fields and electric forces.

Video

Download video (right-click and save as, 6 MB): Vandegraaff.m4v

NCEA & Science Curriculum

SCI 1.2, PHYS 1.3, PHYS 2.6

Instructions

VG-sparkTurn the crank and watch the sparks! Or stand on an insulated floor (or polystyrene board) with a hand on the generator and make hair stand up on a dry day. Or make threads taped to the generator stand up like hair. Or tape a Styrofoam cup full of Styrofoam peanuts to the top and turn on the generator, causing the peanuts to fly out. Or shock students (less painful on the knuckles).

A motor-driven van de Graaff
A motor-driven van de Graaff

It is also possible to do more sophisticated demonstrations such as charging by induction.

 

Safety

The spark can make a person jump. Do not allow people with pacemakers or other medical electronics to use the device. Individual teachers are responsible for safety in their own classes. Even familiar demonstrations should be practised and safety-checked by individual teachers before they are used in a classroom.

Individual teachers are responsible for safety in their own classes. Even familiar demonstrations should be practised and safety-checked by individual teachers before they are used in a classroom.

Related Resources

Capacitor Spark

Teaching Resources

Would you like to contribute lesson suggestions? Contact us.

References

PIRA 5A50.30, PIRA 5B10.10

Credits

This teaching resource was developed with support from

The MacDiarmid Institute
Faculty of Science, Victoria University of Wellington
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington

Copyright

Copyright and fair use statement