Physics took an interesting turn last month when the pupils in 100’s were studying static electricity. Mrs Bidgood set up the Van der Graaff generator in the science lab..

Standing on insulating material and being charged up on the generator, the children’s hair starts sticking up.
Why? –The negative electrical charge (electrons) transfer up the rubber belt to the silver dome. The negative charges are repelling each other and trying to move towards any area with less negative charge. As the time proceeds the free electrons in the dome are pushed closer and closer together on its surface. As a result, they gain energy – rather like the turns of a spring being compressed. They energy is often referred to as static electricity. This is what makes the hair stand on end.