How Van de Graaff Generators Work

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Episodes

Date Title & Description Contributors
2006-03-15

  Do you know how Van de Graaff generators work? Let's turn it on.

  Paul Bui& John C. Bean - UVA Virtual Lab author
2006-03-15

  Turn it off and the charge stays on the dome.

  Paul Bui& John C. Bean - UVA Virtual Lab author
2006-03-15

  To understand what is going on, let's look inside.

  Paul Bui& John C. Bean - UVA Virtual Lab author
2006-03-15

  There is only a motor, powering a pulley, connected to a belt, almost touched by a copper comb.

  Paul Bui& John C. Bean - UVA Virtual Lab author
2006-03-15

  The pulley is made of a special plastic. Let's fade away all but a few (exaggerated) plastic atoms.

  Paul Bui& John C. Bean - UVA Virtual Lab author
2006-03-15

  The pulley's plastic atoms will transfer electrons to the inside of the belt (it's just"static electricity").

  Paul Bui& John C. Bean - UVA Virtual Lab author
2006-03-15

  The inside of the belt becomes more and more negative.

  Paul Bui& John C. Bean - UVA Virtual Lab author
2006-03-15

  But now let's go back and figure out what the bottom copper comb does.

  Paul Bui& John C. Bean - UVA Virtual Lab author
2006-03-15

  Electrons jump from the comb trying to reach the increasingly positive pulley.

  Paul Bui& John C. Bean - UVA Virtual Lab author
2006-03-15

  But these electrons cannot penetrate the belt and are carried away.

  Paul Bui& John C. Bean - UVA Virtual Lab author