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Soda Can Electroscope

Instructions

1. Tape the can to the aluminium foil.

2. Cut two strips of aluminium foil, approximately 4cm x 0.5cm.

3. Make a hook on the end of each aluminium strip. Hang the strips of the end of the ring pull tab.

4. Place the electroscope near your TV. What happens to the strips? Why?

5. Try charging up a balloon by rubbing it with cloth. Bring it near the electroscope... what happens?

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You will need:

- 1 Empty Soda Can

- Insulation Tape

- 1 Styrofoam Cup

- Aluminium Foil

- Scissors

Like charges repel each other, opposite charges attract each other.
Depending on whether the aluminium strips are attracted or repelled to the appliance, you can tell whether the static from an appliance is positively charged or negatively charged.

A loss of electrons makes an object positively charged,
a gain of electrons makes an object negatively charged.

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