Running the Experiments
Time to test each material! Remember to be a fair tester: rub the balloon the same number of times on each material, and use the same pile of paper bits.
WOOL: Rub the balloon on wool for 10 seconds. Hold it over the paper bits. Wow, lots of paper bits jump up! Wool is excellent at creating static. Most kids find wool picks up the most paper.
HAIR: Rub on hair (or a fuzzy fabric). Hold over paper bits. Many bits stick! Hair is a great static generator too.
COTTON: Rub on a cotton shirt. Hold over paper bits. Hmm, not as many stick. Cotton creates some static, but not as much as wool.
SILK: Rub on silk. The results are similar to cotton: some static but not the most.
PLASTIC BAG: Rub on a plastic bag. This might surprise you! It can create quite a lot of static.