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.