January 9 is National Static Electricity Day. This is a day to celebrate and explore how static electricity works and how we relate to it. Static electricity is a shock you get from touching something. It happens when electrons are “rubbed off” or “stolen” from objects. Ways to demonstrate static electricity: Rub a balloon on your hair and stick it to the wall. Run a comb through your hair. Then use the comb to bend a thin stream of tap water. Wear rubber-soled shoes and rub your feet on carpet. Touch someone with your finger to give them a shock. Take clothing out of the dryer. You’ll notice some clothes are stuck together. When you rub your head with a balloon, the balloon will stick to the wall. Why? The reason is that the friction made when two different objects are rubbed together creates static electricity. Three ways to tell if static electricity is present: it sparks and can shock you; it makes a crackling sound; it causes things to stick together. Let’s use the first demo...
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