Order Demo
Warning! Do not touch the capacitors or the spheres unless you have touched the spheres together and grounded the capacitors using the plastic lever arms.
The prime purpose of the experiment is to demonstrate the production of static charge by moving insulators. The principal components are two counter rotating plastic plates with metal foils and a manual drive. Also provided are conducting brushes, metal supports, discharge spheres and two Leyden jars (capacitors). Turning the handle causes the plates to rotate and the apparatus to act as an electrostatic generator. High voltages are produced accompanied by small currents.
Instructions are available.
You will probably have to ground one or both sides on something metal nearby.