Photo Shows the Demonstration Used by the University of Texas at Austin.

Instructions and Notes:

• A mercury vapor lamp shines on a negatively charged zinc plate connected to an electroscope.
• The charge decreases with time as electrons are lost off the surface of the zinc plate.
• To charge the plate, rub the PVC pipe in the rabbit pelt and touch it (the pipe) to the plate.
• Comes with color filters to show the frequency dependence.
• The zinc plate may require sanding for the demonstration to work.

Last Updated 8/98 - University of Texas at Austin Physics Department - All Rights Reserved.