An activity you can use in the classroom
Unlike standard incandescent bulbs, fluorescent tubes are filled with a gas that gets excited when even a small amount of electricity is applied to it. In fact, you can power up a fluorescent bulb with a spark of static electricity. In this activity, you'll test this principle for yourself.
- balloon
- dark room
- fluorescent light bulb
- Decide who will hold the bulb first and who will be on "balloon duty." Designate another person as note taker. Make the room as dark as possible.
- While the bulb holder firmly grasps the bulb with the metal contact portion facing outward, have the person on balloon duty rub it against his or her head and then immediately touch the "charged" balloon to the metal contact.
- Observe what happens. Have the note taker complete the first row under "Give Me Some Static" on the worksheet.
- Change roles, and repeat steps 2 and 3. Be sure to record what happened in the second row under "Give Me Some Static."
- Change roles once more, and repeat steps 2 and 3-but this time introduce a variable, such as rubbing the balloon for a longer period of time of waiting for five seconds before touching the balloon to the bulb. Be sure to record your observations on the worksheet.
- Do you understand why the balloon was able to light up the bulb? If not, be sure to read "What Exactly Happened?" on the worksheet before handing it in.
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