What you need:
A plastic comb
A woollen scarf
A light bulb (incandescent or CFL)
A darkened room
What to do:
1. Go into the darkened room. Place the bulb on a table.
2. Start rubbing the comb on the woollen scarf. Continue to do this for five to ten minutes.
3. Now, quickly touch the comb to the metal end of the bulb.
What happens:
The bulb lights up. The light is weak, it can even fluctuate, but it’s there!
Why?
The answer is ‘static electricity! Static means stationary. When you rub two objects against each other (like the comb and the scarf), they develop stationary electrical charges. To understand why this happens, we have to go to the microscopic level. Everything in our world is made up of tiny particles called ‘atoms. These atoms are, in turn, made up of even smaller particles known as electrons, protons and neutrons. The protons and neutrons remain inside the atom, but the electrons like to use any excuse to jump in and out of the atom. When you rub two objects together, the electrons from one object jump to the other. This exchange of electrons is what is termed as electrical charge.
The comb is made of plastic which does not conduct charge. So the charges stay on the comb. When you bring the comb in contact with the metal, which is a good conductor, the charges flow into the metal and light up the bulb.
Picture Credit : Google
