We Can Figure This Out.org
Virtual Lab: Van de Graaff Generators
University of Virginia
             
 
© 2003-Present, John C. Bean
 
But won’t this comb, itself, then accumulate so much negative charge that electrons will no longer be attracted? No, because the electrons can move out from the comb and spread over the large metal dome.

Why don’t the electrons already on the dome push the new electrons away? Because some push from the left, some from the right, some from above, some from below. And all of these pushing forces cancel one another out.

 
Last Scene
Next Scene