Static Electricity

Static Electricity

1. About charges which are not free to move, like insulating materials. Causing them to build up in one place and it often ends with a spark or shock - when they do finally move

2. Good 'conductors', such as metals, allow an electric charge to pass through them,

   • insulators, such as plastic, do not.
     • A substance that gains electrons becomes negatively charged, while a substance that loses electrons becomes positively charged.
       • You can get an electrostatic shock if you're charged and you touch something that is earthed or if you're earthed and you touch something that is charged.

3. When insulating materilas are rubbed together, the negatively charged electrons will be scraped off one and dumped on the other. This will leave a +ve charge on one and -ve charge on the other

   • Which way the electrons are transferred depends on the two materials involved
     • Electrically charged obects attract small objects near them

4. Only electrons move - NEVER positive charge

   • Both +ve and -ve electrostatic charges are only ever produced by the movement of electrons - the positive charged DONT MOVE!
   • Electrical charges can move easily throug some materials, CONDUCTORS! - Metals are good conductors

5. lIKE CHARGES REPEL - Opposite charges ATTRACT!

   • - + - = MOVE AWAY
     • + & - = ATTRATC
       • + & + = EXERT A FORCE - REPELLING
         • Forces get weaker the further apart the two are

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