Shocking GED Science!
I got a GED science experiment for you! Forget books for studying for the GED test…. I learn things by doin’ them! That’s right. Get out from in front of your computer, cuz here’s a GED experiment anyone can do right in their own home. Ok. Here it is. Now, do this before you read anything more. Get up from your computer. You got to be wearin’ shoes, so put them on if you’re barefoot! Then, stand on the carpet and rub your feet back and forth. Now, touch the doorknob.
Hahahaha!!! Did I SHOCK you? Because that’s what you probably got doin’ my experiment…an electric SHOCK. Yeah, it’s called static electricity. And don’t get mad…cuz it really is SCIENCE. That’s right…same kinda science that’s on the GED test.
So, what is static electricity? What’s the science behind the electric shock you get?
Here’s the deal: it’s all about attraction!!!
You’ve heard the saying, “Opposites attract.” Well, that comes from science. See, things like doorknobs and carpet and shoes and you are made up of atoms, and atoms are made up of electrons, protons, and neutrons.
Electrons are negative… they’ve got a “negative” charge.
Protons are positive… they’ve got a “positive” charge.
Neutrons are neutral. They stay out of it! They’ve got a “neutral” charge.
Well, the electrons are on the outside of atoms, and they’re movin’ around, all fast-like, goin’ here and there… and guess what? When you rub two things together, like your shoes and carpet, the electrons from one rub off on another! So, one ends up with too many electrons, and gets negatively charged. The other one ends up with two few electrons and gets positively charged. (Electrons are what puts the ‘electricity’ in static electricity.)
The extra electrons on something want to ‘jump’ over to something with fewer electrons, to sort of balance out all the electrons. So…when your hand gets near the doorknob…electrons start ‘jumping’ over the gap…and it makes a spark! Kewl, right?!? There’s a lot more to learn about static electricity, and it’s all kewl GED science….so read up at these websites:
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/static.htm
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/static.html
Next time, I’ll have a GED practice question about static electricity!! So study hard, GED-people!
For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit The GED Academy at http://www.passGED.com.
