Electrostatic Imaging

DCS Code: 5A40.27 Last Updated: March 27, 2026
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Purpose

Demonstrates triboelectric charging and electrostatic imaging. Rubbing silk on an acrylic board deposits a localized charge pattern; dusting with chalk reveals the pattern because neutral chalk particles are attracted to charged regions via induced polarization. Directly models the physics of xerography.

Black acrylic board on green lab mat with "Charge it up" written in white chalk dust. Grounded wire mesh with handle above, folded white silk cloth at top right, yellow cloth at bottom left.
Figure 1: Completed electrostatic image: "Charge it up" revealed in chalk dust on the acrylic board. Wire mesh (for discharging), silk cloth (for charging), and chalk dust bag shown.
Equipment
Demo Apparatus