For Educators - Learning Activities
Static Electricity
Curriculum Connection: Science
Background
This lesson is designed to introduce the basic principles of static electricity. In this activity, students will gain an appreciation for the application of these principles to a specific technique used in the automotive painting industry. It allows students to see the relevance of what they learn in class to the real world.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- Learn basic concepts of static electricity and apply them to a real-life situation.
- Relate static electricity concepts to various technologies.
- Explore fields in which this technique is used.
- Understand the relevance of science to the world of work.
- Observe proper safety procedures and guidelines.
Materials Needed
- An overhead transparency and/or student handouts from the Static Electricity Assignment Sheet (PDF).
- A piece of metal 200-300 cm square. If a piece of metal is not available, use a piece of cardboard or wood.
- A can of spray paint.
- Show a video on electrostatic spray painting.
Note: An electrostatic painting video can be obtained by contacting: Graco Canada Inc. - www.graco.com - 1-800-328-0211. - Copies of the Automotive Painter profile from the For Youth section.
Time Needed
- 50 minutes
Suggested Procedure
- Use the Static Electricity transparency to introduce the concept and key terms related to static electricity. Have students make notes or give them a handout.
- Demonstrate painting without electrical charges, using the spray can and the piece of metal. Use newspaper or other means to protect against over-spray and use appropriate health and safety measures (mask, ventilation). Ask the students to observe carefully what happens when you do this (waste from over-spray, air pollution) and the surface of the object after you have finished (uneven coating, runs).
- Ask the students to think about how static electricity could provide solutions to these problems. The key is the principle that opposite charges attract, like opposite poles on magnets.
- Introduce the concept of "painting with charges".
- Painting with charges: It is difficult to give an object a thin smooth layer of paint which covers it completely. A process called electrostatic spray painting is used to accomplish this. The object being painted (e.g. a car) is given a positive charge. The paint leaving the nozzle of the spray gun becomes negatively charged and is attracted to the positive target. Another purpose for this application is to reduce the amount of pollution and waste.
- Painting with charges: It is difficult to give an object a thin smooth layer of paint which covers it completely. A process called electrostatic spray painting is used to accomplish this. The object being painted (e.g. a car) is given a positive charge. The paint leaving the nozzle of the spray gun becomes negatively charged and is attracted to the positive target. Another purpose for this application is to reduce the amount of pollution and waste.
- Show the video on electrostatic spray painting, if available. This will demonstrate vividly the effectiveness of this technique and will probably show how it can be used in a variety of settings.
- Have students read the Automotive Painter profile.