When you hold onto the dome of a machine called Van de Graaff generator, why does your hair stand up?

Answer 1

When you touch a van de Graff generator your hair will stand up only if you are not grounded. This means that you must be standing on something that will not conduct electricity while you are touching the van de Graff. You may stand on a wooden platform or a plastic milk crate as these will separate you from the ground.

If you put your hands on a van de Graff while standing on the ground your hair will not stand up because a charge will not build up on you. Rather, the charge from the van de Graff will pass through you to the ground. This will not harm you as the current is very, very low, as in the milliamp range low.

OK, so, now we have you on a wooden or a plastic platform and your hands are on the van de Graff. The van de Graff is a machine that puts electrons from a rubber belt on to the metal sphere. As you touch the sphere the electrons will pass from the sphere to you and from you to your outermost extremities.

The most outermost extremities is your hair. As each hair gains electrons the hairs are pushed apart from each other by the opposing negative charges. The maximum distance one hair can get from another is achieved by that hair standing straight up and as far apart from the other hairs as possible.

As soon as you step off of your insulating platform and touch the ground the excess electrons on your body will instantly pass into the ground and your hair, being without charge, will fall back into place. When your foot touches the floor be ready for a bit of a shock as the electrons rush from you to the ground and leap across the space from your shoe to the floor just before you make contact.

Answer 2

Because like charges repel. In other words when you touch the generator your body becomes electrically charged. Sorry I don't remember whether the dome is positive or neg. charge. Anyway your hairs will all have the same charge and are trying to move away from each other. The effect can last for some time after you remove your hand until the charge has been able to dissipate either through another object or the air.

Answer 3

hold dome machine called van de graaff generator hair stand

Answer 4

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Answer 5

EaCh haIr gEts cHARgED By The SAmE cHARGe THAT'S wHy They repeL EaCh OtHer. If thE cHARGeS WERE opOsite THen The hAIIR WILL ATTRACT eacH OtHER AND THEY wiLL stICK TO onE ANoTHER BUT dUe To THe SAMe ChaRGE THEY STand sepErately.

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