CASCADE, Mich. — Looking for a fun activity to do at home with your kids? This science experiment is fun for all ages and teaches static electricity during the wintertime!
Meteorologist Isabella Hulsizer visited third graders at Pine Ridge Elementary to work with the students on these experiments.
Looking to join in on the fun from home? Here's what you'll need:
1. A balloon
2. Salt
3. Pepper
4. A plate
Here are the steps:
Step 1: Mix salt and pepper on a plate.
Step 2: Blow up a balloon and rub it all over your head
Step 3: Wave the balloon over the salt and pepper mixture.
Step 4: Watch as pepper jumps onto the balloon due to static electricity
This experiment highlights static electricity and positive and negative charges. Most objects do not have a charge, they are neutral. In this experiment, the balloon is neutral but has the ability to become charged. Rubbing the balloon to your hair gives the balloon an electrical charge. The pepper jumps to the comb because it has a positive charge that's attracted to the negative charge of the balloon, leaving the pepper by itself on the plate!