Why is a stream of H2O bent by a balloon charged with static electricity?

Subject: Why is a stream of H2O bent by a balloon charged with static electricity?

Date: Fri Jun 23 15:36:05 2000
Posted by John Laliberte
Grade level: teacher/prof School: No school entered.
City: North Haven State/Province: CT Country: USA
Area of science: Chemistry
ID: 961788965.Ch

Message:


This demo has been used to show that water is a polar molecule.  Somewhere 
(can't remember where) I heard that the reason that the water stream is 
bent is NOT because it is polar.  As I remember, no alternate explanation 
was given.  Is the attraction simply between an excess electrons on the 
balloon and protons from the water?  Has anyone ever tried the demo with 
nonpolar liquids?  If so, what happened?

Thanks

Re: Why is a stream of H2O bent by a balloon charged with static electricity?

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