State what is meant by electricity and static electricity. Carry out a ‘hair-raising’ experiment. What will we do today?

What is electricity? Electricity is the flow of tiny charged particles. It is a secondary energy source which means that we get it from the conversion of other sources of energy, like coal, natural gas, oil and nuclear power. Electricity

Sometimes we can get an electric shock from our clothes, chairs or hair. This is caused by a form of electricity called static electricity. Static electricity

When objects rub against each other, static electricity is produced. This occurs because the rubbing separates the electrical charges on the object. There are 2 types of electrical charge:- Positive Negative Static – what is it?

When switched on, the Van der Graaff generator makes static electricity and stores the negative charges on the dome. When a person touches the dome, the negative charges transfer into them. Standing on a block of polystyrene makes sure that the charges cannot escape from their body through their feet and down into the floor. Van der Graaff

They interact in the same way that the North and South poles in magnets do. Opposites attract e.g. +ve moves towards –ve Like charges repel e.g. –ve moves away from –ve and +ve moves away from +ve How do electrical charges interact?

Watch Mr Bean playing with a Van der Graff machine at a school open evening. Mr Bean - Van der Graaf generator Mr Bean

When placed in an electric field a charge experiences a force. What happens when a charge is placed in an electric field?

In an electric field, a charge experiences a force. Electric field lines show the direction of a force (on a positive charge) + -

Uniform Electric Field A uniform electric field exists between two parallel charged plates.  The space around an electric charge where the influence of that charge on another charge can be detected, is called an electric field.  Like charges repel. Unlike charges attract.  Field lines are continuous, starting on a +ve charge and ending on a –ve charge. They give the direction of the force acting on a positive charge at a point in the field