Pith balls can be made with homemade equipment. Small lightly wadded pieces of paper or small pieces of a Styrofoam cup can be used as "pith balls". These can be tied to a piece of string and hung over any convenient support device. Wooden pencils, plastic pens, and glass stirring rods can be used in place of the standard rods. Many different types of materials are available in the form of clothing, and you can rub the rods on your hair to charge the rods. When the rods are charged, place them between the pith balls and carefully observe and record what happens. Which rod and material produces the most dramatic effect on the pith balls? What type of charge transfer occurred between the rod and the pith balls?