GRAND RAPIDS — We see and use Scotch tape a lot in our everyday lives but have you ever thought about the physics with it?
Our West Michigan Chevy Dealer Weather Kid of the Month will learn about positive, negative and neutral charges while making this tape levitate! Here’s what you need to get started.
- Two plastic cups
- A roll of Scotch tape
Step 1: Place one strip of scotch tape onto the table * turn under one corner for easy clean up later
Step 2: Have 2 plastic cups near by flip right side down on the table next to each other
Step 3: Take another piece of scotch tape and place is on the piece of tape on the table. Run your finger over that top piece of tape.
Step 4: Now take the electrically charged tape and place it between those two plastic cups.
Step 5: Repeat step 3
Step 6: Flip and hold second piece of tape over top piece of tape secured to the cups and watch what happens!
How cool is that? The tape repels each other!! So here's what happened... when we rubbed the tape against the other piece that’s secured to the table we charged by contact transferring electrons from the bottom piece to the top piece. Then when we charged that second piece the same way and held it over the tape on the cups as they repelled each other!
It's all about the kind of electrons they have whether positive, negative or neutral. When the tape repels like this the pieces of tape have similar electrons or similar charge. Your hand or arm here is the neutrally charged piece. When electrons attract one another they come together having one negatively charged and the other positively charged.
If you want your child to join me for a cool science experiment register online to enter for a chance to win! We pick a new Weather Kid each and every month!
