UIUC Physics Lecture Demo: Electrostatic Squirrel Cage or Volta's Hailstorm

UIUC Physics
Lecture Demonstration
Database

Demo # 944

Electrostatic Squirrel Cage or Volta's Hailstorm

ID # 944

Description:

Place on the Wimshurst generator to charge the bottom plate. If we put a ping-pong ball inside the cage, it will take on the charge of the bottom plate, be repelled upwards, and bounce back and forth between the plates.

Picture of Electrostatic Squirrel Cage or Volta's Hailstorm

Physics Concept:

Electricity and Magnetism
Electrostatics
Electrostatic Machines

The demonstration takes about 1 minute to perform.