Curated OER
Exploring Electricity - Four Activities
These are four classic activities used for instructing upper elementary electricians. The first involves experimenting with the Van de Graaff generator. The second is a series of hands-on experiences with static. In the third activity,...
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Van De Graaff Generator
Invented around 1930, the Van de Graaff generator is a popular tool for teaching the principles of electrostatics. Others just call it "that thing that makes your hair stand on end." See how it works here.
BBC
Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: Static Electricity
This lesson focuses on static electricity, including how particles can be charged by friction, and electrical forces and why they repel or attract each other. Includes a link to a test.
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium Where Does the Energy of a Spark Come From?
Students define potential energy and explore the relationship between potential energy and field. How does potential energy change when things are pushed or pulled? Where does the energy that was used to charge the Van de Graaff...
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: What Are Factors That Affect How Strongly Objects Interact With Each Other?
Explore and use models of electric fields to explain how charged objects interact with other objects.
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium Where Does the Energy of a Spark Come From?
Activity 2 of the module investigates Where does the energy used to charge the Van de Graaff generator go? The activity investigates how objects can interact without touching, as well as what happens to potential energy when objects...
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: What Is Happening When a Spark Occurs?
Activity 1 in this module investigates Can my finger start a fire?
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: Where Does the Energy of a Spark Come From?
Activity 4 of this module investigates Why do I get shocked if I am too close to the Van de Graaff generator? This activity explores what happens to the potential energy of a system when objects are allowed to move freely (not held in...
Concord Consortium
The Concord Consortium: What Are Some Examples of Things That Stick Together and Things That Do Not?
In this learning module from The Concord Consortium, students will watch what happens when a Van de Graaff generator is used.
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin: 4 Electricity
A description of several demonstrations for static electricity concepts. The demonstrations utilizing the Telsa coil, Faraday cage, and Van de Graaff generator are ideal for demonstrating electric potential concepts. Suitable for student...