Retired physics professor wishes to spare kitty cat

  • #1
WoodDM
How did you find PF?
Google search for forum of physics teachers
Hah! You thought this had to do with experimentally testing the Schrodinger cat scenario? Nope.
Some may know that a good way to concentrate radon daughters is to rub a balloon and let it sit for a while to attract charged aerosols. Without fail, all physics demos appear to call for cat's fur to rub things (ebonite rods, balloons).
(See, for example, the article "The Hot Balloon" (Not Air), THE PHYSICS TEACHER VOL. 33, SEPT. 1995

But it is illegal to sell cat's fur these days in the US... What do soft-hearted people use to charge up balloons? Bunny fur IS available at craft stores such as Hobby Lobby in the US. Does that work well?
Thanks.
 
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  • #2
Welcome to PF.

The New Member Introduction forum is just for brief introductions about yourself, not for technical questions.

To answer your question, though, I just rub the balloon on my shirt to charge it up (I find that my Ironman Vineman Triathlon Medical Team t-shirts work best). No need to go huntin' for animal fur in my experience. If you start a new thread in the technical forums (or the Educator forum) to discuss this, please be sure to post links to your reading on the subject to get the discussion going on a good note. Thanks. :smile:
 
  • #3
Use a wool sock or mitten.
 
  • #4
WoodDM said:
How did you find PF?: Google search for forum of physics teachers

Hah! You thought this had to do with experimentally testing the Schrodinger cat scenario? Nope.
Some may know that a good way to concentrate radon daughters is to rub a balloon and let it sit for a while to attract charged aerosols. Without fail, all physics demos appear to call for cat's fur to rub things (ebonite rods, balloons).
(See, for example, the article "The Hot Balloon" (Not Air), THE PHYSICS TEACHER VOL. 33, SEPT. 1995

But it is illegal to sell cat's fur these days in the US... What do soft-hearted people use to charge up balloons? Bunny fur IS available at craft stores such as Hobby Lobby in the US. Does that work well?
Thanks.
Get a cat.

-Dan
 
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  • #5
topsquark said:
Get a cat.

-Dan
We have two. Alas, both are sphynxes (hairless).
 
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