Internet version [Naruhodo no Mori] Vol.14

by Yumiko Mori

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Vol. 14     January, 15th, 1996

Human electricity relay

Home science experiments for mothers of elementary school children

Mom asks Tae to hold a polystyrene foam block.
Suddenly something flashes in the dark.

Mom: "Oh!!"
Tae: "It made a flash! Amazing!"
Mom: "OK, let's do a relay experiment next. Tae, can you call Dad and Toshi?"

Even Satoshi, a 2 year old boy, joins to this relay experiment.
Toshi is going to make static electricity. Dad holds a fluorescent light tube.
Mom, Satoshi, and Tae line up between Toshi and Dad. They are going to relay electricity.

Toshi " I am going to start! OK?"
Bang! Then the fluorescent light tube lights up for a moment.
Tae: "Yes! We did it! I saw a flash."
Dad "Did you see the flash, Dad?"
Dad: "I'm sorry. I was not looking."
Mom: "Oh, no!  Shall we do it one more time? You got to watch it this time. OK? "
Bang! It made a flash again.

Mom: "Did you see it? "
Dad: "Yes!  I saw it. It's really amazing."
Tae: "That means electricity went through my body, doesn't it? "
Dad: "Yes! In another words we got a sort of electric shock."
Mom: (jokingly) "Oh, no! I got electroshock!"

How to do human electricity relay

Materials

• A fluorescent light tube (10W or less)

• Polystyrene foam boards
  You need one board per one participant.
  (Each board should be big enough for a person to stand on.)
  (Polystyrene foam boxes are OK too, as long as it's strong enough.)

• A ball of wool thread
  (You can use an old sweater for a substitute.)

How to do human electricity relay

1. Do this experiment in the evening when it is dark outside.

2. Decide who is going to make static electricity.
   Decide who is going to hold a fluorescent light tube.
   The other people are going to relay electricity.

3. All the participants line up. Each person stands on a polystyrene foam board and hold the next person's hand.

4. The person who is assigned to make static electricity starts rubbing a wool thread ball on a polystyrene foam. (about 30 times)
   The person who holds a fluorescent light should hold its metal part with his/her hand and make the other metal end to touch the last relay person's palm. (See the illustration)

5. Turn off the room light.

   Now it's ready. Watch what is going to happen to the fluorescent light.

6. The first person (who have made static electricity) should hit the next person's back with the polystyrene foam with some vocal signal.
   Surprise, surprise! Every time the first person hits, you will see the light tube flashing.
   

• People who relay electricity make sure not to touch other than the next person's hand.

• The reason why you have to stand on a polystyrene foam board is to stop electricity from leaking through your foot to the floor.

• The experiment works best on a dry day, since static electricity tends to occur on less humid days.

• You can get more static electricity, if the second person (who will be hit with the polystyrene foam) wear wool sweater.

• Static electricity can occur in any material. Even in water or food!
  The reason is that any material is made of atoms, each of which has a positively charged nucleus and negatively charged electrons.
  Even human body is no exception.

   The first time I learned about this experiment, I thought it must be trick or fake. You may want to ask your friends if you can light up a fluorescent tube by static electricity. I bet they'll not say 'no'. This experiment is even more amazing, because the generated electricity can be relayed through human bodies. Since a science teacher mentioned this experiment to me, I really wanted to try by myself. Until I saw it happening in front of my eyes, I couldn't convince myself. I hope you agree with me. Why don't you try this experiment by yourself?

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