10.1 Exploring Static Charge

Vocabulary Words electricity static charge charging by friction electrostatic series insulator conductor semi-conductor ground

Why did the gardener plant a light bulb? He wanted to grow a power plant.

Electricity – A form of energy that results from the interaction of charged particles, such as electrons or protons

Static charge (Static electricity) Electric charge that remains “static” or doesn’t move Electrostatics The study of electric charge

Charging by Friction Involves the transfer of electric charge by rubbing or friction (e.g. walking across a carpet, combing your hair)

Causes of Electric Charges Particles that carry electric charges can be neither created nor destroyed Any net charge on a solid object, whether it is positive or negative, results from the transfer of electrons between this object and another object

Causes of Electric Charges cont’d Compared with a neutral object, an object with a deficit of electrons (fewer electrons than protons) has a positive charge Compared with a neutral object, an object with an excess of electrons (more electrons than protons) has a negative charge Different materials hold on to their electrons with different strengths

An Electrostatic Series The Electrostatic Series – Used to determine the kind of electric charge produced on each substance when two substances are rubbed together. Substances high in the list lose electrons, and become positively charged (net charge) Substances lower in the list gain electrons and become negatively charged (net charge) The closer the substances are on the list, the weaker the ability to transfer electrons e.g. Predict what will happen when (i) glass is rubbed with cotton, and (ii) rubber balloon is rubbed with wool. Material Strength of Hold on Electrons Glass Weak   Strong Human hair Nylon Wool Fur Silk Cotton Lucite (a clear plastic) Rubber balloon Polyester Foam Grocery bags (low density polyethylene) Ebonite (hard form of rubber)