Charging Objects by Friction

Start with How Electron Flow Makes a Current for the vocabulary. Then pair a charging sheet with a data sheet, since the charging sheets explain electron movement and the data sheets practice variables and graphs.

Rank materials such as glass, silk and wool, then show which gains electrons when two are rubbed. The directions on the page read: Read the text and study the ranking. Then answer the questions on page 2. An answer key is included.

Yes, both. We made it for 7th grade energy, and it works the same at home or at school. At home, a student can work through it alone and then go over it with you, which shows quickly what is solid and what needs another look. In class it works as independent practice, homework or a warm-up, and you can print one copy or a full set.

A battery pushes electrons through a wire that joins its two ends. Electrons are negative, so they move toward the positive end. How Electron Flow Makes a Current explains this and the roles of voltage and resistance.

When a charged conductor touches a neutral one, charge spreads across both. Identical spheres share the total equally, so add the two charges and divide by 2. Only electrons move.

In the investigation, a steel plate hangs above disc magnets and the force is read at each gap. Students graph 1, 2 and 3 magnets and describe how the pull changes as the gap grows.