Chapter 9: Static Electricity Flashcards
What is discharging?
The process of removing all excess static electric charge so that the object is neutral.
What is the law of electric charges?
The law stating that like charges repel and unlike charges attract.
What is induced charge separation?
The charging effect in which a neutral object’s electrons move due to them being attracted to a charged object. The electrons do not leave the neutral object, which remains neutral, but they shift.
What is charging by friction?
When objects gain charges after being rubbed together. (ex. brushing hair)
What is charging by conduction?
When objects gain charges through contact. (ex. touching a doorknob after walking across a carpet)
What is charging by induction?
When objects gain charges without direct contact. (ex. dust being attracted to an electric screen)
What is an insulator?
A substance in which its electrons are so tightly bound to the atoms that they cannot move freely to another atom. (ex. glass, plastic, rubber)
What is a conductor?
A substance that allows its electrons to flow freely from one atom to another. (ex. silver, copper, gold)
What is grounding?
A method of discharging, in which you connect the charged object to the ground with a conductor. The earth is so immense that it removes excess static charge.
What does it mean if an object is isolated?
It is not in direct contact with its surroundings. Objects can hold static charges because they are isolated.
What is the electric force (electrostatic force)?
The force that exists between static charges. It can be either a pull (attraction) or a push (repulsion).
What is Coulomb’s law?
The law stating that the strength of the electric forces increases with increasing electric charges and decreases with increasing distance.
What is a static charge?
An electric charge at rest. The charge builds up due to an imbalance in the number of electrons and protons.
