SPOOKtacular dancing
How to make dancing ghost for Halloween
Safety precautions
Only under adult supervision.
Equipment and reagents
- paper towel;
- scissors;
- balloon;
- tape.
Step-by-step instructions
Cut some ghosts out of a paper towel and tape them to a table. Rub a balloon vigorously on your hair and hold it close to the paper ghosts. They begin to dance!
Process description
Everything around us is ultimately made of atoms, which in turn are composed largely of charged particles known as protons and electrons. Protons are positively charged, while electrons are negatively charged. Normally, they compensate for each other, resulting in an object with a neutral charge. When two objects are subjected to frictional forces against each other, the surface atoms layer of one object can give some of its external electrons to the other. The object that gives up electrons gains a positive charge and the object that accepts electrons gains a negative charge. When we rub a balloon on our hair, its surface accepts some electrons and it thus acquires a negative charge. An electric field appears around it, which can affect positively- and neutrally-charged objects. This is why the paper ghosts are attracted to the balloon.
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