A—ELECTRIFYING A STRIP OF NEWSPAPER
B—ELECTRIC ATTRACTION
Fig. 122. the electrified paper
Tear off a strip of newspaper, lay it flat on a table and rub it with your finger nails as shown at [A in Fig. 122]. When you try to take the paper from the table you will find that it sticks to it quite tenaciously. This is because you have positively electrified the paper when you rubbed it and the surface of the table under it is negatively electrified by induction.[132] Now since positive and negative electricity attract each other, the paper and the table are pulled together.
[132] The theory of induction is simply explained in The Book of Electricity by the present author.
How to Electrify a Person.[133]
—This is an experiment that will make your gathering giggle just as school girls giggle when they have their tintypes taken—that is without any real reason except that the idea strikes their mental funny bones.
[133] Since the paper is positively electrified the person must be negatively electrified.
To perform this experiment electrify a strip of newspaper as above and then hold it close to some one’s face; instantly there will be a mutual attraction between them and the paper will be drawn to and stick to his or her cheek. Put an electrified paper on the cheek of each person present as shown at [B] and tell them they belong to the same club. This will get a laugh but it will not lessen their interest in the experiment in the least.