1. Objective: You are a packaging engineer, and you want to build a device that uses static electric charge to pick up those annoying foam peanuts. You plan to build a machine that rubs two materials together to create the charge. You must find and document the best choice of materials. Charge Transfer uDu

2. Materials: 4 insulating rods (clear acrylic, hollow polyvinyl chloride, white nylon and maple wood) 4 cloths (blue silk, gray wool, patterned cotton and polyester felt) Charge-O-Meter (copper pipe supported on sharp spindle — which means you’re not going to screw around with it)

3. Charge Transfer uDu Methods: You will rub the the rods with the cloths to charge them. The design and standardization of the technique is up to YOU. You will use your Charge-O-Meter to measure how much charge a rod acquires by measuring how strongly they attract each other. YOU have to figure out how to measure strength of attraction. YOU record your Methods in YOUR notebook.

4. Charge Transfer uDu Results: Construct a 4 x 4 table that summarizes your results. That is, record the strength of attraction — as measured by YOU — when each rod is rubbed by each cloth. Choose the combination for your peanut picker-upper. AMOUNT of CHARGE WoolPolyCottonSilk Wood PVC Acrylic Nylon