This simple FET circuit is really an electronic version of the electroscope. This “Alien Detector” is a super-sensitive static charge detector made from a few electronics parts. I originally made a few of these and placed them in soap boxes and nailed the lids shut and asked kids how they worked. (I did place a on/off switch poking through the box along with the LED so they would have ‘some’ control over the experiment.)
This detector is so sensitive that you can go around your house and find pockets of static charge… even from your own footprints! This is an advanced project for advanced students.
You will need to get:
- 9V battery clip (and a 9V battery)
- MPF 102 (buy 2 – one for back up)
- LED (any regular LED works fine)
Try the marshmallow launcher or do a search for “catapult” – you’ll find several different versions!
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