Have you wrapped your mind around static electricity yet? You should understand by now how scuffing along a carpet in socks builds up electrons, which eventually jump off in a flurry known as a spark. And you also probably know a bit about magnets and how magnets have north and south poles AND a magnetic field (more on this later). Did you also know that electrical charges have an electrical field, just like magnets do?
It’s easy to visualize a magnetic field, because you’ve seen the iron filings line up from pole to pole. But did you know that you can do a similar experiment with electric fields?
Here’s what you need:
- dried dill (spice)
- vegetable or mineral oil
- 2 alligator wires
- static electricity source (watch video first!)