About this resource
- Appropriate grades
- 8
- Subjects
- science (chemistry, technology and innovation), thinking skills (information literacy)
- Provider
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
Legal
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In this Science Update, students explore how positively charged particles are attracted to negatively charged particles and how this relates to laundry. Benham Pourdeyhimi, a textile engineer at North Carolina State University contends that static builds up when fabrics rub together and exchange electrons; because some surfaces get positively charged and other get negatively charged, they attract one another. Dryer sheets contain positively charged ingredients that are released by the heat and tumbling motion of the dryer, and these ingredients bond to negatively charged fabric surfaces, thus neutralizing the charge. Science NetLinks provides a link to the audio file, a written transcript, and questions to engage students in discussion about the relationship between adhesive forces and friction to static cling and what might happen if dryer sheets were negatively charged. This activity also contains links to similar lessons from Science NetLinks.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Science (2005)
Grade 8
- Goal 1: The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
- Objective 1.01: Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.
- Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
- explain observations.
- make inferences and predictions.
- develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.
- Objective 1.08: Use oral and written language to:
- Communicate findings.
- Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
- Describe strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, and/or data.
- Objective 1.09: Use technologies and information systems to:
- Research.
- Gather and analyze data.
- Visualize data.
- Disseminate findings to others.
- Objective 1.10: Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
- Scientific text.
- Articles.
- Events in the popular press.
- Goal 4: The learner will conduct investigations and utilize technology and information systems to build an understanding of chemistry.
- Objective 4.03: Explain how the periodic table is a model for:
- Classifying elements.
- Identifying the properties of elements.
- Objective 4.04: Describe the suitability of materials for use in technological design:
- Electrical Conductivity.
- Density.
- Magnetism.
- Solubility.
- Malleability.
- Objective 4.03: Explain how the periodic table is a model for:
