Franklin bell experiment
Report
Introduction
After much thought as to what experiment to do, I decided to do an electrostatic experiment using the Franklin bell. I had to try and find different energy sources that would work for me. Any electronic instrument would give off enough electricity, but I eventually settled on using a electric bug zapper because it was easy to set up the crocodile clips with it. Afterwards I tried the same experiment with a television set, using tinfoil which gave static electricity when it was switched on and off.
Investigative question:
Will the aluminium cans react in the same way that the original Franklin bell reacted? In other words, can I use a source of electrostatic energy to make the tab on my pencil…show more content… In my experiment, the static charge will vary from one experiment to another depending on how strong the device is which gives me the charge of static electricity. If one device is stronger than another it should give off a bigger surge of static electricity which should make the tab from the cans swing faster or harder against the cans.
Conclusion:
The tab moved with both experiments, but it moved faster and harder with the television than with the bug zapper. I have concluded that the experiment was a success and by using the cans and wires I demonstrated how the Franklin bell works.
Relevance:
This is a relevant experiment in that it is a good way to test Benjamin Franklin’s original experiment and is useful because it simplifies the experiment using ordinary materials at home.
Bibliography: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEqudsyIWzk en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_bells
Super science experiments by Miles Kelly Publishing
Science Facts by Parragon
Acknowledgements:
Benjamin Franklin, for his original design of the Franklin…show more content… Afterwards I tried the same experiment with a television set, using tinfoil.
What is needed for the experiment two aluminium cans a wooden pencil thread a tab from one aluminium can a bug zapper
Method
I placed two aluminium cans on a flat surface. I used a piece of thread to tie the tab from a third can to the pencil.
I then put the pencil across the tops of the two cans, so that the tab was dangling between them closely.
The cans would work in the place of bells and the tab would be the ball.
I then used the bug zapper to create the static charge I needed for the experiment, by using two small crocodile clips which I put onto the cans and then onto the bug zapper.
When you switch the bug zapper on and off, the static electricity given off causes the tab to move left and right between the tin cans.
6) After this experiment I tried the same idea using a television set as the source of the static