How Do You Make A Neon Bulb Light Up Using Static Electricity?
An interesting experiment to help youngsters understand how electricity works is to get them to light a small neon bulb using static electricity. Small neon lightbulbs on copper sticks are ideal for this experiment. These lightbulbs are better than other bulbs because they use a lot of voltage and very little amperage. As the Colorado State Littleshop Physics website article “Static Flash” points out, you can create up to 10,000 volts by scuffing your feet on a carpet. Fortunately it is the amperage which is the very dangerous part of electricity and there is very little of this in static electricity, although there is enough to light these neon bulbs. Buy a small neon lightbulb. They are found in most electrical supply shops. Attach your neon bulb to the middle of your strip of copper with some electrical tape. The strip of copper should be approximately 1/2-inch wide and 3 inches long. Ensure the base of the bulb has good contact with the copper strip. Hold one end of the copper stri
