Greased Lightning

Introduction

That's right...we're going to learn about transfer of energy using comics, really cool experiments, and Grease Lightning!

My latest co-teaching adventure is underway with Vineland Middle School's 8th Grade Science teacher, Joni Mandarich. The warmups in her classes and mine will be focused on learning more about energy transfer for four days. Check out our lessons, resources, and students samples. Feel free to share, reuse, or alter to meet your needs.

Monday

Introduction and Demonstration

Greased Lightning

Van De Graff Confetti

Comic Development
Directions

Mrs. Mandarich Explanation of Demo
Electricity is the flow of charged particles, specifically electrons in motion, and a Van de Graff Generator creates an excess/build up of electrical charge caused by the friction of the belt within the device. As the Van de Graff runs, excess electrons build up on the belt, the Van de Graff ball, and eventually even the little "confetti" circles of thin paper. Once the stability of the flow of electricity stops, the electrons are all "stuck" with their negative charge and since like charges repel, or push away from each other, the electrons want to scatter as far and fast as possible. The result is the highly entertaining scattering of the paper confetti across the room.

Tuesday

Introduction and Demonstration

Plasma Globe Light Bulb

Comic Development
Directions

Mrs. Mandarich Explanation of Demo
A plasma globe contains noble gases which, when excited by electrical current, emit electromagnetic waves that are given off as light as electrons move to and from higher energy leveles. These high frequency EM waves can be harnessed to illuminate an old-fashioned fluorescent light bulb because these light bulbs actually function by utilizing mercury in vapor form and when excited, exposed to EM waves, light is given off from the bulb.

Wednesday

Introduction and Demonstration

Van de Graff Hair

Comic Development
Directions

Mrs. Mandarich Explanation of Demo
"Static" electricity means that there is a build-up of charged particles "standing around" that have to have somewhere to go, discharge, since energy cannot be created or destroyed. Since this excess charge must be transferred somewhere, and since humans conduct electricity, the built up charge travels to the extremities/ends of your hair and since the negatively charged particles cover your head/hair, the pieces of hair repel one another, moving as far apart from each other as possible, resulting in a "hair-raising" hairstyle.

Thursday

Introduction and Demonstration

Shocking Students

Comic Development
Directions

Mrs. Mandarich Explanation of Demo
The Van de Graff generator transfers an electrical current and since the human nervous system carries an electrical impulse, electrical energy can be conducted through humans. If everyone in the class/group has skin to skin contact, there is a continuous flow from the student in direct contact with the Van de Graff all the way to the last person in the line. However, if any students are "grounded" by touching their rubber based shoes to the floor or by only having contact with the cotton/fiber-based clothing of another student they stop the flow of the electrical current and the static charge is absorbed, rather than transferred. So, for "shocking" results, the chain of students must be unbroken and a fun release of static energy build-up promises to be entertaining, and slightly painful.