Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I made an electroscope using a foam cup and plate, aluminum pan for pie, straws, threading, and an aluminum foil ball. Yet somehow, the static electricity did not travel from the pan to the aluminum ball so nothing happened, If someone could please help that would be great.


Science project I used: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... lectricity

Hi Anthony,

Sorry to hear your experiment didn't work out. It is possible the room you conducted your experiment in was too humid, which increased the amount of static electricity the air could absorb. This means there was less static electricity traveling to the aluminum ball.

Humidity is tough to control. You can decrease humidity with a dehumidifier, or look for a different room to conduct the experiment. Different seasons generally have different humidities, with winter usually being the least humid.

Best of luck, and post again if you have further questions!

-kbannam