Electricity Flashcards
What is electricity?
A form of energy resulting from the interaction of charged particles such as electrons or protons.
What builds up static charge in clothes in a dryer?
Friction between the clothes.
Define static charge (static electricity).
An electric charge that tends to stay on the surface of an object rather than flowing away quickly.
What is the process of charging materials by rubbing them together called?
Charging by friction.
Who formulated the Bohr-Rutherford model of the atom?
Niels Bohr and Ernest Rutherford.
What does the nucleus of an atom contain?
Positively charged protons and neutral neutrons.
Where are negatively charged electrons located in the Bohr-Rutherford model?
Outside the nucleus.
Which particles are transferred between objects like hair and a comb?
Electrons.
What is the electrostatic series (triboelectric series)?
A list of materials arranged according to their ability to hold onto electrons.
What happens when two materials far apart on the electrostatic series are rubbed together?
You can accurately predict their resulting charges.
What causes static cling in clothes?
Different fabrics lose or gain electrons as they rub against each other.
What do anti-static sheets do?
Coat clothes with a waxy material to prevent static cling.
Define insulators.
Materials in which electrons cannot move easily from atom to atom.
Give examples of insulators.
- Glass
- Rubber
- Plastic
- Cotton
- Wool
- Nylon
- Pure water
Define conductors.
Materials in which electrons can move easily from atom to atom.
Give examples of conductors.
- Metals (copper, aluminum, gold, silver)
- Solutions containing water (e.g., salt water, tap water)
Define semi-conductors.
Materials that conduct electricity fairly well under certain conditions.
Give examples of semi-conductors.
- Silicon
- Germanium
- Gallium
How can the conductivity of a material be tested?
By connecting it to a conductivity meter/tester.
What is grounding?
The process of neutralizing a charged object by supplying or removing a large number of electrons.
Why is Earth often used for grounding?
It has an enormous capacity to absorb or supply electrons while remaining neutral.
What causes a person to feel a shock when touching a metal doorknob?
A relatively large number of electrons flow rapidly through the person’s hand.
Fill in the blank: The simplest way to remove the net static charge in an object is to put it in contact with a _______.
ground.
True or False: Protons and neutrons can leave the nuclei they reside in.
False.
