Science Education
What happens when a bunch of confetti is placed on the dome of a Van de Graaff generator?
Announcer: Frostbite Theater presents... Cold Cuts! No baloney!
Joanna and Steve: Just science!
Joanna: Hi! I'm Joanna!
Steve: And I'm Steve!
Joanna: And this is a Van de Graaff generator!
Steve: And these are a bunch of those little paper circles that you get when you use a hole punch.
Joanna: If we turn the Van de Graaff generator on, the belt carries electrons up from the earth and places them on the dome.
Steve: All electrons carry a negative electrical charge and like charges repel, so the electrons try to get away from each other.
Joanna: The electrons spread out the best that they can. They cover the surface of the dome and they get on each piece of paper.
Steve: If one piece of paper is negative and another piece of paper is also negative, they'll repel each other.
Joanna: If the whole dome is also negative, the pieces of paper will be repelled by that, too. Like this!
Thanks for watching! I hope you'll join us again soon for another experiment!
Steve: I think I ate one!
Joanna: It looks like it's snowing!
Steve: Puh! I did eat one!
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