Bending Water – Simple Static Electricity Science Experiment

Science experiments for kids don’t have to be hard; this bending water project is super easy to try, but allows kids to visually learn about static electricity. As kids try this static electricity bending water they will be amazed at what seems like magic, but can be explained by simple scientific principles. This static electricity comb water experiment is perfect for pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th graders.

bending water

Science experiments for kids don’t have to be hard; in fact, they can be both fun and educational with projects like the bending water experiment! This super easy activity allows kids to visually learn about static electricity in a captivating way. Have you ever seen a stream of water bend just by a charged object? It might look like magic, but it’s rooted in simple scientific principles.

To conduct this experiment, all you need is a plastic comb, some dry hair (or a wool sweater), and a stream of water from a faucet. Start by combing your hair or rubbing the comb on the wool to build up static electricity. Then, slowly bring the charged comb close to the water stream without touching it. Watch in amazement as the water bends toward the comb! It’s an incredible demonstration of how static electricity can create an attractive force.

This simple experiment is perfect for children in pre-k through 4th grade. Not only does it introduce them to fundamental concepts of physics, but it also encourages curiosity and exploration. Kids can learn about the phenomena of positive and negative charges while engaging in hands-on learning.

Parents and teachers can foster a love for science by incorporating fun experiments like this into their activities. It’s a great way to spark conversations about electricity and forces in a non-intimidating way.

We have lots more fun kindergarten science experiments for kids to try! Plus don’t miss our dinosaur fossil printable, easy paper bag lungs, fun ice cream volcano, free apple browning experiment worksheet, and grow a rainbow experiment.

static electricity bending water

All you need for this simple science experiment is a plastic comb, a water faucet, and your hair. Using a plastic comb, comb through your dry hair ten times. If the weather is humid that day, your hair might not be dry enough. Try rubbing the comb on carpet instead.

static electricity comb water experiment

Next in this water bending experiment turn on the faucet so that a narrow stream of water is flowing. Slowly, move the teeth of the comb close to the stream of water, but do not touch the water. As the comb gets closer to the water, the stream of water should start to bend toward your comb. If it doesn’t, comb through your hair 10 more times. Once you get the water to bend toward the comb, you can start to experiment.

bending water with static electricity

Try these experiment ideas:

• Adjust the flow of the water. Does this affect how much the water bends or how close the comb needs to be to the stream?
• If you have a comb made of something different than plastic, does it affect the reaction of the water?
• Try this with other people’s hair. Is there a difference in the outcome?

bending water experiment

The unseen force in this experiment is static electricity. Static electricity is the buildup of electrical charge on an object. When the electrically charged object comes into contact with an object with the opposite charge, the electrons flow from one object to another. This happens then you walk across a carpeted room and touch a door knob and get shocked. When the comb ran through your hair, it picked up negatively charged electrons from the hair. This caused the atoms of the comb to have a negative charge. When things are negatively charged, they attract things that have a positive charge. The stream of water had a positive charge, so it was attracted to the negatively charged comb and bent in it’s direction. Try this at home and let us know what happened.