The Jumping Electrostatic Top
Richard A. Ford
Keywords: experiment, high voltage, jumping electrostatic top, Wimshurst generator
In trying to reproduce the jumping electrostatic top phenomenon, Mr. Ford details his experiments using a homemade sectorless Wimshurst generator of his design. He and his research associate John Richter discovered that small discs supported by a single point were the most effective. The question of why the top suddenly jumps up is left unresolved.
