Play with electrons and static in your house using your faucet. Explore how you can bend water using your own hair. 

What You Need: 

• Plastic comb 
• Hair 
• Faucet 

What You Do: 

1. Run the comb through your hair roughly 20 times. 
2. Turn on the faucet so only a thin, constant stream of water is running. 
3. Bring the comb close to the side of the water but don’t touch it. The water will bend towards the comb. It will be very slight so look closely. 

Did You Know? 

Static electricity occurs when there is a build-up of electrons on an object, giving it an electric charge. Electrons will be attracted to something with less electric charge, so they'll jump to an object that has fewer electrons.

Words to Use: 

• Charge: Everything has an electrical charge, either positive or negative, depending on the number of electrons and protons it has.  
• Static electricity: Electricity that is not flowing in a current, but collects on the surface of an object and gives you a small electric shock. 
• Electron: Small particles that make up a part of an atom with a negative charge. 
• Proton: Small particles that make up a part of an atom with a positive charge.  

Questions to Ask:  

• What do you notice about the water when the comb gets close? 
• What happens when the water runs too fast? 
• Why do you think the water bends towards the comb? 
• Do you think you could get the water to bend away from the comb? 

Change It Up: 

• Age It Down: Just do the experiment as it is. 
• Age It Up: Try different combs and materials and see if there are any differences.

Learning Connections:  

• Creativity 
• Curiosity 
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) 
• Fine Motor Development 
• Using Tools 

Curriculum Connections:
NC Standard Course of Study 

• Science: 3.P.3, 4.P.1.2, 4.P.3.1, 6.P.2.1