A layer of tiny glass beads sitting atop a pool of castor oil becomes a morphing surface in this video. Applying an electric field creates enough electrostatic force to draw Keep reading
Tag: electrostatic charge
Flying Spiders Use Electric Fields
Many species of spider fly with a technique calling ballooning. We’ve touched on spider flight before, but more recent research adds a new dimension to the phenomenon. Researchers showed that Keep reading
Jumping Frost
Liquid water is easily electrically charged, due to its polar nature. That’s why rubbing a comb is enough to deflect a stream of water. Ice is harder to charge, but Keep reading
Kelvin’s Thunderstorm
In this video, Derek Muller explains how an experiment known as Lord Kelvin’s thunderstorm generates electricity from falling water. The set-up relies on a positive feedback loop that creates a separation Keep reading
Dribbling Droplets
Ethanol droplets on a hot copper plate bounce under the influence of electrostatic forces from a charged rod. The temperature of the plate is high enough that the droplet is Keep reading