Balloons & Static Electricity
Rub a balloon on a sweater and watch it stick to the wall, showing charge transfer and induced charge.
Drag a balloon onto the sweater and rub it back and forth to pick up electrons. Then let go near the wall and watch it stick. Rub both balloons and watch them push apart.
About the Balloons & Static Electricity
Free balloons & static electricity. Rub a balloon on a sweater and watch it stick to the wall, showing charge transfer and induced charge. Drag, change the sliders and see the result live. No sign-up, works on phone and computer. Built for physics, the balloons & static electricity runs instantly in your browser: change a setting or drag an object and the result updates at once, so you learn by trying things out rather than only reading about them.
Rub a balloon on a sweater and watch it stick to the wall, showing charge transfer and induced charge. Use it to explore physics ideas at your own pace, then check what you found against the key ideas further down this page.
How to use the Balloons & Static Electricity
- Use the controls to change Wall, Charges, Balloons. The simulation reacts instantly.
- Pick an option such as Show wall, Hide wall, All charges, Only differences to switch modes or load an example.
- Press "Reset balloons" to start, reset or change what is happening.
- Where you see a glowing handle, object, weight or atom, drag it with your mouse or finger. Everything responds in real time.
- Watch the readouts and graphs update as you experiment, and compare what you see with the key ideas below.
Things to try
- Rub it more and let it go near the wall.
- Add a second balloon and watch them repel.
- Show only the differences in charge.
Key ideas you can learn
- Rubbing moves electrons from the sweater to the balloon.
- The balloon becomes negative and the sweater positive.
- A charged balloon polarises the wall, so it sticks.
- Two negative balloons repel.
Where this is used in the real world
The same effects cause dust to cling to screens and are used in photocopiers and air cleaners.
Who is this simulation for?
Physics students in middle school, high school and first-year university, teachers who want a quick demonstration for the projector, and anyone revising for exams. It works well for flipped classrooms because students can explore before the lesson.
For teachers: project it on the board, let students predict what will happen, then run it together. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a charged balloon stick to a wall?
Its negative charge pushes electrons away in the wall, leaving the near surface slightly positive, so they attract.
Does the balloon lose its charge?
Slowly, because charge leaks into the air and wall.
Is the Balloons & Static Electricity free to use?
Yes. It is completely free, with no signup, no download and no ads inside the simulation. It runs in your web browser.
Does the Balloons & Static Electricity work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. It uses touch as well as the mouse, so you can drag objects with your finger. A larger screen makes the controls easier to see.