Scuff n’ Spark

Players rub the mouse back and forth over the “scuff pad” to create friction. As electrons accrue and the charge on the virtual hand increases the conditions for a spark are made. Simulation on how we can get shocked on dry days! Dynamic Coulombs law included.

Learning Goals

Upon completion of this game, players will understand:

  • Electrons can be removed from atoms
  • Via an embodied “scuffing” motion or friction, players can accumulate electrons (-1)
  • Accumulating electrons affects the qnet of 1 object, and interaction between 2 objects
  • Increasing qnet affects the distance required between 2 charged objects for a spark to occur
  • Coulomb’s Law describes the E-field between the two objects
  • A spark can occur when certain conditions in the E-field are met
  • Coulomb’s Law (as a relationship without k) is dynamically displayed

Teacher Guide

Peer-Reviewed Research

Johnson-Glenberg, M. C., & Megowan-Romanowicz, C. (2017). Embodied science and mixed reality: How gesture and motion capture affect physics education. Cognitive Research: Practices and Implications. 2, 24. 10.1186/s41235-017-0060-9.

System Requirements

PC
MAC

Licensing Information

This game is free to share and adapt in compliance with the non-commercial creative commons license guidelines.

To request open source files, contact us for more information.

Disclaimer
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No1020367. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

National Science Foundation

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Scuff n' Spark

Players rub the mouse back and forth over the “scuff pad” to create friction. As electrons accrue and the charge on the virtual hand increases the conditions for a spark are made. Simulation on how we can get shocked on dry days! Dynamic Coulombs law included.