The world's largest Van de Graaff generator is housed in Boston's Museum of Science and has two 4.5 m diameter spheres mounted on 7.6 m poles. The device is capable of generating a potential of 7 MV, over thirty times the output of a typical classroom Van de Graaff generator that can reach 200 kV.
It was invented by American physicist Robert J. Van de Graaff in 1929. The potential difference achieved by modern Van de Graaff generators can be as much as 5 megavolts.
Van de Graaff generators typically produce a very small amount of current (microamperes). Therefore, an accidental shock from a Van de Graaff generator may be startling and it may be painful, but it will not cause serious harm to most individuals, even at a high voltage.
