Discharge Sphere
Product Code : LSK-PL-10284
Discharge Sphere (SKU LSK-PL-10284) is an earthed stainless steel sphere on a rod for drawing sparks of up to 10 cm from a Van de Graaff generator and for discharging its dome at the end of a demonstration. It suits electrostatics lessons in school and introductory college physics. Science Lab Supplies turns out the sphere at its Saha, Ambala factory (Plot 448, HSIIDC Industrial Area, India) and quotes it to schools, colleges, contractors and distributors.
Specifications
Sphere, rod and earth connection of the discharge sphere each get a row below. In short, a polished stainless steel sphere 10 cm across sits on a 41 cm stainless steel rod, and a 4 mm hole in the rod base takes a lead to the Van de Graaff earth socket; a retort base is not included.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| SKU | LSK-PL-10284 |
| Sphere material | Polished stainless steel |
| Sphere diameter | 10 cm |
| Rod material | Stainless steel |
| Rod length | 41 cm |
| Earth connection | 4 mm hole in the base of the rod |
| Connects to | Earth socket on the Van de Graaff generator |
| Purpose | Discharging the Van de Graaff generator |
| Spark length | Up to 10 cm |
| Retort base | Not included |
| Manufacturer | Science Lab Supplies, Saha, Ambala, Haryana |
| Country of origin | India |
Applications and Experiments for the Discharge Sphere
With the sphere connected to the generator’s earth socket and brought towards the charged dome, students see sparks jump a gap of up to 10 cm. It serves electrostatics demonstrations on charge, potential difference and electric discharge in secondary school and introductory college physics, and discharges the dome afterwards.
- Class 12 physics: electrostatic potential and breakdown of air.
- Lightning explained as a discharge between charged bodies.
- Discharging the dome between runs, earthed through Connecting Leads with 4 mm Safety Plugs.
- Comparing spark discharge with the charge-sharing work of the Apparatus for Distributing Electric Charges.
Safety: the sparks come from a high-voltage generator. Demonstrate under teacher supervision and keep students, and anyone with a medical implant, back from the dome.
Standard Scope of Supply
Each Discharge Sphere comprises the 10 cm polished stainless steel sphere mounted on its 41 cm stainless steel rod, with the 4 mm earth-connection hole in the base. A retort base is not included; the tripod Retort Base or the Retort Squat Base can be added as its stand on the same quotation.
Packing, MOQ and Lead Time
A quotation can be made for one sphere or for every Van de Graaff generator in a school, and it sets out packing, delivery time and price for that quantity. The generator and a retort base can go on the same quotation.
As a registered exporter with an Importer-Exporter Code, Science Lab Supplies can ship to buyers in Nepal, Bangladesh, Zambia, Rwanda, South Africa and Qatar. The business is registered under Udyam as a manufacturing enterprise (UDYAM-HR-01-0014546) and for GST (GSTIN 06ADEPJ0574F2ZU). To add the sphere to an electrostatics order, write via the contact page, park it in the enquiry cart, or quote it under the lab tender page route.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long are the sparks?
Used with a Van de Graaff generator, the sphere draws sparks of up to 10 cm. The length reached depends on the generator and on room conditions such as humidity.
Is a stand included?
No, a retort base is not included. The tripod Retort Base in this range, which has a rod clamp, is useful as a stand for the discharge sphere and can be quoted with it.
Is Science Lab Supplies the manufacturer or a trader?
Each sphere is made in the Science Lab Supplies factory in Saha, Ambala, so the company is its manufacturer and answers questions on build or quantity itself, with the quotation coming straight from the works.
How is it connected to the generator?
A lead runs from the 4 mm hole in the rod base to the generator’s earth socket, and the sphere is then brought towards the charged dome.
Related Electrostatics Equipment
The discharge sphere is an accessory that works with an electrostatic generator and needs a base to stand on. The items below include the generator itself, two suitable bases, alternative spark machines and charge demonstrations, so an electrostatics bench can be listed on one quotation for a school or college.
- Van De Graaff Generator — 220 mm dome on a plexiglass pillar, 200,000–400,000 V output.
- Retort Base — tripod base with rod clamp, useful as a stand for the discharge sphere.
- Retort Squat Base — stump-shaped cast iron base in stoved enamel with thumb-screw clamp.
- Wimshurst Machine — needs no electrical power; two Leyden jars of glass and aluminium foil.
- Wimshurst Influence Machine — 31 cm counter-rotating disks, 75 mm spark gap in dry air.
- Electrostatics Apparatus Set — 30 mm conducting spheres and vessels with spherical and pointed electrodes.
- Electrostatics Friction Rods Set — glass and ebonite rods, 12 x 200 mm, with silk and synthetic-fur cloths.
Browse the full Physics Lab range or all physics lab equipment.
Last updated: 22 October 2026
