Make your own Van De Graaff generator | Live Experiments (Ep 25) | Head Squeeze

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BBC Earth Science

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Published on May 8, 2013 9:48:45 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLfuLpk_O60

Duration: 5:55

28,334 views

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Fran Scott shows us how you can make your own Van de Graaff using household objects. How big a spark can you create?

How it works: http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/vdg7.htm

Robert Jemison Van de Graaff: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/622605/Robert-Jemison-Van-de-Graaff

A table of the TriboElectric Series: http://www.trifield.com/content/tribo-electric-series/

Experiments with a Van de Graaff: http://teachingphysics.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/experiments-with-a-van-de-graaff-generator/

Van de Graaff was first used in X-Rays by Harvard Medical School in 1937: http://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201102/physicshistory.cfm

Van de Graaff also invented the Tandem Van de Graaff Accelerator: http://www.npl.washington.edu/tandemvandegraaff

IMPORTANT:
You will need one sober adult with a sense of scientific wonder to be present....

What you need:
- 2 litre empty plastic bottle
- Round wood pencils
- Electrical wire
- PTFE tape (Teflon tape)
- Other tape (whatever you have)
- Spoon
- Scissors
- Balloons
- Drill
- Round metal object like a saucepan or bowl

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Use the scissors to cut around the base of the plastic bottle to open it up
2. Put your two wooden pencils through the plastic bottle, one at the top and one at the bottom
3. Slice the middle out of the balloon
4. Slide the PTFE tape on to the top pencil
5. Create a belt between the top pulley and the bottom pulley.
6. Pop in electrical wire to the top of the bottle so it's touching the PTFE tape
7. Pop in electrical wire to the bottom pencil/pulley and connect to the metal spoon using the balloon to insulate the wire
8. Place your metal bowl on the top of the bottle
9. Use the drill to rotate the bottom pencil/pulley
10. Touch the metal bowl with the spoon
11. Watch the sparks fly!!

Live Experiments: Our resident science demo thrill-seekers will give the YouTube audience their big science treat each week with an experiment where you can find out how to make food dance, power a light bulb with household objects and create mega smoke rings!

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