Electric Charge

Do the Objects
Need to Touch?

Two students were talking about forces between objects when one of the objects is
electrically charged. This is what they said:
Henry:

I think the two objects need to touch in order for there to be a force
between them.

Mia:

I think the two objects do not need to touch in order for there to be a
force between them.

With whom do you agree the most? ______________ Explain why you agree.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

U n c o v e r i n g S t u d e n t I d e a s i n P hy s i c a l S c i e n c e , Vo l u m e 2
Copyright 2014 NSTA. All rights reserved. For more information, go to www.nsta.org/permissions.

15

Electric Charge

How Will the

Balloons Move?

Two students both rubbed a balloon on their hair. They then let the balloon hang
downward on a string. They asked their friends what would happen when they
brought the rubbed sides of both balloons near each right away.
Twila:

I think the balloons will move toward each other.

Malik:

I think the balloons will move away from each other.

Eli:

I dont think the balloons will move at all.

With whom do you agree the most? ______________ Explain why you agree.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

U n c o v e r i n g S t u d e n t I d e a s i n P hy s i c a l S c i e n c e , Vo l u m e 2
Copyright 2014 NSTA. All rights reserved. For more information, go to www.nsta.org/permissions.

19

Electric Charge

Can It Be
Electrically Charged?

Lillian and Peter rub balloons on their hair and notice that the balloons become electrically charged. They hold the balloons over small bits of paper and see that the bits
of paper are attracted to the balloons. They wonder if other materials can also attract
small bits of paper either before or after being rubbed. Put an X next to all the materials you think can be electrically charged after rubbing them with another material
_____

Aluminum (metal)

_____

Iron (metal)

_____

Wood

_____

Paper

_____

Glass

_____

Plastic

_____

The positive end of a battery

_____

The negative end of a battery

_____

Balloon

_____

Rubber

_____

Styrofoam

_____

Wax paper

_____

Pencil

_____

Your finger

_____

North pole of a magnet

_____

South pole of a magnet

Explain your thinking. What rule or reasoning did you use to decide which materials
or objects can be electrically charged (acquire a static charge)?

U n c o v e r i n g S t u d e n t I d e a s i n P hy s i c a l S c i e n c e , Vo l u m e 2
Copyright 2014 NSTA. All rights reserved. For more information, go to www.nsta.org/permissions.

23

Electric Charge

What Happens When You

Bring a Balloon Near a Wall?
Sumiko rubs a balloon on her hair. She touches the balloon
to the wall and lets go. She sees that the balloon stays on the
wall. If Sumiko could see what is happening between the balloon and the wall, what would it look like? Draw a picture in
the box below to show what you think is happening between
the balloon and the wall right before the balloon sticks to the
wall. Use pictures or symbols to show the interaction between
the balloon and the wall.

Explain what your picture shows. Include how your drawing shows the interaction
between the balloon and the wall.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

U n c o v e r i n g S t u d e n t I d e a s i n P hy s i c a l S c i e n c e , Vo l u m e 2
Copyright 2014 NSTA. All rights reserved. For more information, go to www.nsta.org/permissions.

27

Electric Charge

Conductors
or
Insulators?
Beth rubs a balloon with a piece of cloth.
She then holds the balloon near some small
pieces of paper. She observes that the balloon attracts the small pieces of paper. She
wonders if this would work with other types of materials. She holds four dierent
objects (wood, metal, plastic, and glass) in her hand and then rubs them with dierent types of cloths. She then holds each object near small pieces of paper. She observes
that some of the objects attract paper and some objects do not attract paper. She
shows the results to her friends and this is what they said:
Naoto:

I think the objects that attract paper must be charged, which means that
these materials are conductors.

Denzel:

I disagree. I think the materials that attract paper are called insulators.

Lukie:

I think you cannot tell from these results which are insulators and which
are conductors.

With whom do you agree the most? ______________ Explain your reasoning.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

U n c o v e r i n g S t u d e n t I d e a s i n P hy s i c a l S c i e n c e , Vo l u m e 2
Copyright 2014 NSTA. All rights reserved. For more information, go to www.nsta.org/permissions.

31

Electric Charge

Does the Example

Provide Evidence?
A

Students in Mr. Millers class watched a demonstration on electric

charge. In the first example of an interaction, Mr. Miller brought two
plastic balls together. The balls moved apart when they got near each
other, like this (A). In the second example of an interaction, the balls
moved toward each other, like this (B). Mr. Miller asked the students
if the two examples of interactions provided convincing evidence that
both balls in each example were electrically charged. Here is what some
students said:

Faith:

I think both examples provide evidence that all of the balls in

both interactions were electrically charged.

Milo:

I think only the first example provides evidence that both balls in an
interaction were electrically charged.

Judd:

I think only the second example provides evidence that both balls in an
interaction were electrically charged.

Fran:

I think neither example provides evidence that both balls in an interaction were electrically charged.

With whom do you agree the most? ______________ Explain why you agree.

U n c o v e r i n g S t u d e n t I d e a s i n P hy s i c a l S c i e n c e , Vo l u m e 2
Copyright 2014 NSTA. All rights reserved. For more information, go to www.nsta.org/permissions.

35

Electric Charge

Where Can
You Find
Electric Charge?
Put an X next to all the things where you can find electric charge.
____

a. in a tree

____

b. in a fish

____

c. in rocks

____

d. in the human brain

____

e. in muscles

____

f. in an atom

____

g. in a cloud

____

h. in the Sun

____

i. in sunlight

____

j. in a magnet

____

k. in a nail

____

l. in rubber

____

m. in a balloon

____

n. in a lightbulb that is not

plugged in

____

o. in a lightbulb that is plugged

in but turned o

____

p. in a lightbulb that is plugged

in and turned on

____

q. in a battery that is not connected to anything

____

r. a battery in an electric car

when the car is turned o

____

s. a battery in an electric car

when the car is turned on

____

t. a piece of wire that is not

connected to anything

____

u. a wire that is connected to a

battery and a bulb

Explain your thinking. What rule or reasoning did you use to decide if electric charge
is present in an object or material?

U n c o v e r i n g S t u d e n t I d e a s i n P hy s i c a l S c i e n c e , Vo l u m e 2
Copyright 2014 NSTA. All rights reserved. For more information, go to www.nsta.org/permissions.

39

Electric Charge

Where Does the

Charge Come From?

Five friends were trying out the new slide on the playground. The new slide is made
out of plastic. They noticed that each time they reached the bottom of the slide, they
got a small electric shock when they touched the ground. They wondered where the
electric charge came from. This is what they said:
Kevin:

I think the charge can only come from the plastic slide.

Tanisha: Today I was wearing wool pants. I think the charge can only come from
the pants.
Jin-Sang: I think the charge could come from either the slide or the pants.
Kerry:

My pants rubbed against the plastic slide as I slid down. I think the rubbing creates the charge.

Marsha:

Maybe the rubbing creates heat. The heat is what creates the electric
charge.

With whom do you agree the most? ______________ Explain your reasoning.

U n c o v e r i n g S t u d e n t I d e a s i n P hy s i c a l S c i e n c e , Vo l u m e 2
Copyright 2014 NSTA. All rights reserved. For more information, go to www.nsta.org/permissions.

43