Using a voltmeter

I tried doing doing the experiment at different places in my house. However, two of the three chosen places showed negative responses.
Before, I mentioned that I would be using an ammeter to further my experiment. Instead of just using water, I would use different types of water, take down the results and compare them. I decided to change that experiment, faced with the current circumstances.

Instead of using different types of water, I would use water from different locations of my house, such as the kitchen, balcony and the shower. This experiment's main purpose is to find out whether or not the voltage of the water affect the 'bend' of the stream of water.

As the experiment proceeded, I decided that a voltmeter may prove to be more helpful to my experiment than an ammeter.
So, using a voltmeter, I am going to measure the voltage the water, whether is positive or negative. The result would help determine whether the water stream and the balloon are repelling each other or is there another reason for the negative response.

Voltage of water
Research question: Does the voltage of the water affect the degree of 'bend' of the water?
Materials: Water from balcony, water from kitchen, water from shower, voltmeter, crocodile clips, copper sticks, 3 beakers

Hypothesis: The higher the voltage of the water, the larger the degree of 'bend' of water.

Variables: 

Independent: Type of water used 

Dependent: Voltage of the water

Constant: Distance sticks are placed away from each other, same amount of water used, same type of beaker used, same type of cooper sticks used, same type of voltmeter used

Experiment procedure:
1. Pour 500ml of water from the kitchen tap into a beaker
2. Connect the voltmeter and the two cooper sticks with the crocodile clips
3. Place the two cooper sticks into the beaker of water
4. Ensure that the sticks are placed at equal distance away from each other
5. Note the voltage of the water from the voltmeter
6. Repeat the experiment two more times
7. Repeat steps 1-6 with the water from the balcony and the shower
8. Tabulate the results for easy reference

RESULTS

Voltage of water
Place	1st attempt	2nd attempt	3rd attempt	Average
Kitchen	1.4 V	1.0V	0.8V	1.07V
Balcony	0.2V	0.15V	0.34V	0.23V
Shower	0.4 V	0.55	0.6V	0.52V

 All the above results are positively charged.
Conclusion: The water from the kitchen has the highest voltage among the three.

Materials: Water faucet from kitchen, water faucet from balcony, water faucet from shower, balloon, balloon pump, protractor, ruler, camera, scale, metronome 

Hypothesis: The higher the voltage of water, the larger the degree of the 'bend' in the stream of water.  

Variables:

Dependent: Degree of ‘bend’ of the water

Independent: Place where experiment is conducted 

Constant: Size of the stream of water, size of the balloon, amount of static electricity produced, material of the balloon, amount of air pumped into the balloon,  Distances between the stream of water and the balloon, speed of metronome, number of times balloon is rubbed against hair,  

Experiment Procedure

1. Place a scale behind the stream of water (Ensure that the stream of water is flowing straight along the line drawn on the scale)
2. Place a small distance scale on top of the tap, to roughly estimate the distance

3. Use the balloon pump to pump up the balloon (about 10 pumps)

4. Rub the balloon against your hair (about 50 times)

5. Place the balloon near the stream (about 1cm)

6. Take a video of the process
7. Repeat the experiment again for 2 times
8. Use the online protractor tool to measure the angle of the 'bend' in the stream of water

9. Tabulate the results
10. Repeat steps 1-9 for the taps from the shower and the balcony

10. Compare the tabulated results among the water from the three locations

Degree of ‘Bend’ of the water stream
Place	1st attempt	2nd attempt	3rd attempt	Average
Kitchen	5.79°	5.11°	3.05°	4.65°
Balcony	nil	nil	nil	nil
Shower	nil	nil	nil	nil

 Nil: no changes to the stream of water

Conclusion: The stream of water from the kitchen, with the highest voltage, has the largest 'bend' among the three. The higher the voltage of water, the larger the degree of 'bend' in the water. 

Background knowledge:
Voltmeter:
- http://www.ehow.com/how_16767_voltmeter.html

Ammeters vs. Voltmeters

• Ammeters and voltmeters are the opposite of each other not only in terms of construction, but of circuit placement.

  Ammeters must have current passing through them in order to measure it, and so must be placed in series inside of a circuit. Polarity must be observed, and their positive and negative leads must be connected to the positive and negative sides of the circuit, respectively. Also, their internal resistance must not be large or it will block too much current, and this will affect the way the circuit functions and hence the reading.

  Voltmeters should not have any current passing through them, and so are placed in parallel with the circuit they are to measure. Their leads are placed on each side of the component of interest, and as with ammeters, polarity must be observed. If their internal resistance is too small it will not block enough current, and this will affect the measurement.

- http://www.ehow.com/about_5467750_ammeter-vs-voltmeter.html