5B10.23 - Van de Graaff - Aluminum Foil Rockets | Instructional Resources and Lecture Demonstrations

The way that works best with our apparatus is to turn on an ungrounded Van de Graaff, bring the aluminum foil about 2 ft. from the dome and let go. The aluminum foil rocket should travel toward the dome and fly about the bottom portion of the dome much like a hummingbird.

The traditional way to do this is to position a grounded point about 2 ft. from the Van de Graaff dome. The rocket would then remain in the region between the dome and the point.

Code Number:

5B10.23

Demo Title:

Van de Graaff - Aluminum Foil Rockets

Condition:

Good

Principle:

Electrostatics

Area of Study:

Electricity & Magnetism

Disclaimer

Equipment:

Van de Graaff Generator, Aluminum Foil Rockets.

Procedure:

The way that works best with our apparatus is to turn on an ungrounded Van de Graaff, bring the aluminum foil about 2 ft. from the dome and let go. The aluminum foil rocket should travel toward the dome and fly about the bottom portion of the dome much like a hummingbird.

The traditional way to do this is to position a grounded point about 2 ft. from the Van de Graaff dome. The rocket would then remain in the region between the dome and the point.

References:

Robert Liefeld and Scott Spray, "Levitating Spinners", TPT, Vol. 21, # 9, Dec. 1983, p. 592.
R. D. Redin, "Demonstration of Dipole Lines of Force", AJP, Vol. 45, # 8, Aug. 1977, p. 772.
Homemade Lightening, "Miscellaneous Experiments: The Levitating Rocket", R. A. Ford. p. 160.

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