12″ Glass Friction Rod
by GSC International

Friction rods are used in conjunction with a friction pad (made of wool, flannel, silk, or fur) to produce static charges. Typically, friction rods are used in the physics classroom and laboratory to demonstrate the principles associated with static electricity. The rod is rubbed against the friction pad with one material giving up electrons (and becoming positive) while the other acquires the electrons (becoming negative. Because of the simplicity of this experiment, it is a frequently used demonstration in both high school and college physics courses.

Made of borosilicate glass, the rod measures approximately 300mm (12″) in length, and has a diameter of 10mm (0.39″). Both ends of the rod have been ground for safety, and approximately half of the surface area of the rod has been ground. The purpose of this is to allow students to see the difference in electrostatic generation between the two halves.