Magnetism and static electricity both involve invisible forces that are easy to demonstrate but genuinely interesting to understand — these experiments make both forces visible and explain the real science underneath.
Only certain metals are magnetic, mainly iron, nickel, and cobalt. Most other materials — including aluminum, wood, plastic, and glass — aren't attracted to magnets at all, which often surprises kids who assume "metal" automatically means magnetic (aluminum cans, for instance, aren't magnetic).
| Experiment | What Happens |
|---|---|
| What's magnetic? sorting hunt | Test various household objects with a magnet and sort them into magnetic and non-magnetic piles |
| Magnet through paper | Move a paper clip on top of paper by dragging a magnet underneath, showing the force works through some materials |
| Magnet strength test | Compare how many paper clips different magnets can hold in a chain, testing relative strength |
Asking "do you think this will be magnetic?" before testing each object turns the sorting hunt into a genuine hypothesis-testing exercise, not just a demonstration — see our scientific method guide for more on this approach.
Static electricity builds up when electrons transfer between two surfaces that rub together, leaving one surface with extra negative charge and the other with a positive charge. That imbalance is what causes the attraction (or the small shock felt afterward, when the charge suddenly equalizes).
| Experiment | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Balloon and hair | Rub a balloon on hair, then hold it near the hair to see it stand up and reach toward the balloon |
| Bending water | Rub a balloon on fabric, then hold it near a thin, steady stream of water from a faucet to see the stream bend |
| Static-powered paper bits | Rub a balloon or comb on hair, then hold it near small torn paper bits to see them jump up and stick |
Static electricity is a temporary charge buildup that discharges quickly, genuinely different from the continuous, controlled flow of electrons that powers devices — both involve electrons, but they behave very differently.
Only certain metals — mainly iron, nickel, and cobalt. Most other materials, including aluminum, aren't magnetic at all.
Electron transfer between two rubbed surfaces, leaving an imbalance of charge that causes attraction or a small shock.
No — static is a temporary charge buildup, while device electricity is a continuous, controlled flow through a circuit.