Classroom Questions

Questions for ‘Static electricity remains shockingly mysterious’ 

A colorful illustration of static electricity: a fingertip approaches a curved surface, sending bright, glowing streaks of light arcing across the gap between them. The scene is rendered in vivid pink, blue and yellow tones, with a grainy texture.

Electric charge builds up when people touch or rub objects. If enough charge piles up, it can create an electric shock.

Illustration by Simone Noronha

By Science News Explores

To accompany ‘Static electricity remains shockingly mysterious’  

SCIENCE

Before Reading:

  1. Describe what comes to mind when you think of static electricity. What sets static electricity apart from electricity that conducts through a wire? Use your current knowledge to answer this question.
  2. Imagine you hear an electrical crackling sound as you take a freshly laundered T-shirt out of a dryer. What condition causes this T-shirt to crackle? To the best of your understanding, describe how the act of being put through a dryer may have contributed to this T-shirt’s condition.

During Reading:

  1. What change in electrical charge occurred in Cooper’s fur when the cat jumped into the box of packing peanuts?
  2. Contrast the electrical charges of protons and electrons.
  3. What are ions?
  4. Name one ancient philosopher who described the phenomenon of static electricity.
  5. Give one example of how scientists believe static electricity may have helped planets form.
  6. In space, the push-and-pull forces of static electricity can have a stronger impact on how objects move than they do on Earth. Give one reason why.
  7. What is acoustic levitation?
  8. What potential problem were researchers trying to avoid by using acoustic levitation to suspend test objects in midair?
  9. In the context of this story, what is schmutz, and where did researchers encounter it?
  10. List two materials mentioned in this story that are polymers.

After Reading:

  1. Why is the triboelectric series helpful to scientists? Locate silk and gold on the triboelectric series diagram that accompanies this story and contrast their rankings. Based on this diagram, predict the changes in electrical charges likely to occur when these two materials touch.
  2. Imagine two objects of the same material — such as two gold beads — are being tested for their tendency to develop an electrical charge. In the first test, one gold bead got a more negative charge; the other bead got a more positive charge. Scientists thoroughly cleaned the beads, then ran a second test. After being cleaned, both beads developed a negative charge. Use what you’ve learned in this story to hypothesize an explanation for this change.
  3. Consider your understanding of static electricity before reading this story. (Feel free to refer to your answers in Before Reading to help you remember.) What is one thing about static electricity that you understood accurately? What was one thing you learned about static electricity by reading this story that you did not know before?