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A Van de Graaff generator is an electrostatic generator  which uses a moving belt to accumulate very high amounts of electrical charge on a hollow metal globe on the top of the stand. It was invented by American physicist Robert J. Van de Graaff in 1929. The potential difference achieved in modern Van de Graaff generators can reach 5 mega-volts. A tabletop version can produce on the order of 100,000 volts and can store enough energy to produce a visible spark.

A Van de Graaff generator operates by transferring electric charge from a moving belt to a terminal. First invented in 1929, the Van de Graaff generator became a source of high voltage for accelerating subatomic particles to high speeds, making it a useful tool for fundamental physics research.