WFU Department of Physics Wake Forest University

 

Wake Forest Physics
Nationally recognized for teaching excellence;
internationally respected for research advances;
a focused emphasis on interdisciplinary study and close student-faculty collaboration; committed
to a diverse and inclusive environment.

WFU Physics Lecture Demonstrations

Electrostatic Pinwheel

PIRA 5B30.50

Image:

Photo of Demo

Description:

A conducting pinwheel will spin when connected to a static producing machine, such as the Wimshurst seen here. Each tip will produce a corona discharge. This discharge charges the air near the tip with the same charge and so the tip is repelled, turning the pinwheel.

Recipe and
Location:

VDG
or
Wimshurst
Pinwheel Conductor

Video:

Streaming Video:

None

MPG Video:

None

Real Video:

None

Notes:

The VDG produces more charge and probably would be a better choice.

 

Go to top of page

Demos

Mechanics
Fluid Mechanics
Waves
Thermodynamics
E&M
Optics
Modern
Astronomy
Information

horizontal bar
blank spacer
100 Olin Physical Laboratory
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7507
Phone: (336) 758-5337, FAX: (336) 758-6142
E-mail:
wfuphys@wfu.edu