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Why does the soda can roll?
With Remote Control Roller, basically, you pile up electrons
on one thing and use them to attract the protons in something else. When
you rub a balloon on your hair, it ends up loaded with electrons. Those
electrons can attract the protons in a soda can, the protons in a trickle
of water, the protons in your hair, or the protons in a wall.
Why do clothes stick together in the dryer?
The attraction between protons and electrons can also make
clothes stick together in the dryer.
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When you dry clothes in the dryer, different fabrics rub
together, and electrons from a cotton sock (for instance) may rub off onto
a polyester shirt. That's why clothes sometimes stick together and make
sparks when you pull them apart.
You may have used
antistatic sheets in your dryer. As these sheets bounce around with your
clothes, they add a uniform antistatic coating to the fabric. Rather than
cotton rubbing against polyester, you've got the antistatic coating on the
cotton rubbing against the antistatic coating on the polyester. No electrons
rub off-and you don't get any static cling.
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A Xerox machine uses static electricity to make copies.
When you rub a balloon on your head, the balloon is charged with electricity.
Inside a Xerox machine is a plastic drum that is also charged. When you
put a piece of paper on the glass, a copy of it goes onto the drum. Where
there were dark places on the paper, the static charge on the drum attracts
the black plastic toner powder. Then the powdered places go onto a blank
piece of paper, and the paper is heated. The toner melts and makes black
letters on the new piece of paper.
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Put the can on its side on a table
or the floor -- anyplace that's
flat and smooth. Hold it with your finger until it stays still.
Rub the balloon back and forth on your hair really
fast.
Hold the balloon about an inch in
front of the can.
The can will start to roll, even though you're not touching it!
Move the balloon away from the
can -- slowly -- and
the can will follow the balloon.
If you move the balloon to the other side of the
can, the can will roll in the other direction.
How fast will the can roll? How far can you roll
it before the can stops? Will it roll uphill?
If you have some friends with cans and balloons,
you can have a race across the room or down the sidewalk.
