Tuesday, 15 February 2022

A balloon stuck to your jumper


I told a metal worker friend of mine recently that I had picked up a ferrous paper clip using a stainless steel knife, and he said that it could not be pure stainless because stainless does not magnetise.

So I tried a different stainless steel knife and the same thing happened.

If it has nothing to do with magnetism, what can it be? 

Clue: If you climb all the way up to the top of the Great Pyramid in Egypt, wrap a glass bottle in newspaper and hold it above your head, it will begin to emit great sparks of static electricity accompanied by sharp cracks of sound. How on earth anyone discovered that is yet another mystery attached to the pyramids.

It seems to me as though any chargeable object which culminates in a point focusses the static at the tip. Any scientists out there who can confirm this?
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15 comments:

  1. Susan15 February 2022 at 11:02

    This must have something to do with static electricity. Others will have more expertise than I.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Weaver of Grass15 February 2022 at 11:30

    I am very busy at the moment and just thinking about this makes my brain hurt.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson15 February 2022 at 11:52

      Sorry Weave. You have to stay up for as long as it takes. Actually, no you don’t! X

      Delete
  3. Iris15 February 2022 at 12:06

    Aha! We have moved on from shadow games to magic tricks! Never a dull moment around here! I was baffled by the story about the Great Pyramid. I googled it and, indeed, there seems to be something to it. Now, somebody out there, please, be smart enough to explain this to us. I'm interested.

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    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson15 February 2022 at 13:50

      I spent a half hour in the King's Chamber of the Great Pyramid on my own, and I was offered a chance to climb up it for 100 Egyptian pounds, but refused the armed guards on each corner. Fuck 'em. There is something in this story, it is well documented. You be smart enough to explain please.

      Delete
    2. Frances16 February 2022 at 00:48

      My father was in Egypt during the war ( RAF pay corps I believe) and he was alone briefly with Tutankhamun and he took an " illegal" photograph!! It was during a tour into said tomb and he held back when everyone else left and took his photo.

      Delete
    3. Tom Stephenson16 February 2022 at 03:26

      King Tut is now safely entombed in a museum.

      Delete
  4. Joanne Noragon15 February 2022 at 16:50

    I think it is the discharging of static electricity generated by the feet going up the stones. And I'm sticking to it.

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    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson16 February 2022 at 03:27

      A bit like me getting the world spinning by running.

      Delete
  5. Debby16 February 2022 at 03:15

    No. Not static electricity: As I understand it (and I am NOT a scientist), stainless steel is less magnetic, but this doesn't mean that it is absolutely not magnetic.

    https://www.carpentertechnology.com/blog/magnetic-properties-of-stainless-steels

    How are your knives stored? Here magnetic strips are popular for knife storage.

    ReplyDelete
  6. thelma16 February 2022 at 23:17

    I remember the children always rubbing a balloon on their clothes and then making their hair stand on end as they held it above their heads. Apart from that have no answer.

    ReplyDelete

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