Electrostatic Flashcards
Matter is made up of …
atoms
There are two types of charges:
- positive
- negative
When electrons are moved from one atom to another, it becomes:
positively charged
When atoms become positively charged, it is called:
charge imbalance
Nature tends to want ______ balance.
Neutral
When a positively charged body comes into contact with another charged material, _____ will go where they are needed.
electrons
The imbalance of charges within a surface or material is called:
static electricity or static discharge
Static electricity accumulates on an object to form:
an electric charge
Charges are ____. The electricity does not move through objects.
Static
Conductors allow energy to ______.
pass through
What material is most commonly a conductor?
Metal
Insulators do/dont create a charge… Which one is it?
dont
Do conductors hold a charge?
No. They only act as tunnels for the electrons to get from one material to another.
What is the electrostatic series?
A table of substances arranged in the order in which they are electrostatically charged by contact
Name the first rule for the electrostatic series.
Opposite charges attract each other
Name the second rule for the electrostatic series.
Like charges repel each other
Name the third rule for the electrostatic series.
Charged objects attract neutral objects
The higher on the series, the _____ the hold on electrons
weaker
If rubber is at the bottom of the series, and acetate is at the top, which material will hold onto the electrons
Rubber (whichever material is closer to the bottom will have a stronger hold on the material).
Paper vs cotton. Who wins?
Paper will be negative
Cotton will be positive
Plastic vs. glass. Who wins?
Plastic will be negative
Glass will be positive
Sheep vs. rubber. Who wins?
Sheep will be positive
Rubber will negative
Plastic vs. fur. Who wins?
Plastic will be negative
Fur will be positive.
How do dryer sheets work?
An anti-static sheet is a small piece of cloth
that contains a waxy compound. Hot air from the dryer vaporizes the waxy compound, which then coats the clothes.
The simplest way to remove the net static charge on an object is to put it in contact with what is called: _____
a ground
Is water a conductor or an insulator?
Pure water is a good insulator, but water is such a good solvent that it is rarely pure, even when it falls as rain. Water from a faucet contains dissolved substances that make it a fairly good conductor.
If you want to avoid charge build-up on your hair, should you use a plastic comb or an aluminum comb?
Use an aluminum comb (conductor) instead of a plastic comb to avoid generating an electric charge on your hair
List two materials that are electrical conductors and two materials that are insulators
- conductors: any metal; uses: copper or aluminum wires, mercury switches
- insulators: non-metals such as wood, rubber, and plastics; uses: covering for wires
How does a lightning rod work?
A lightning rod is a metal sphere or point that is attached to the highest part of a building and connected to the ground.
Why do we see lightning?
Negative charges on the bottom of the cloud induce a positive charge on the ground below the cloud by repelling negative charges in the ground.
Why do we hear the thunder?
The sudden increase in pressure and temperature from lightning produces rapid expansion of the air within and surrounding the path of a lightning strike.
What is the difference between static electricity and current electricity?
static electricity the charges are at rest and they are accumulating on the surface of the insulator. Whereas in current electricity the electrons are moving inside the conductor.
State the “Law of Attraction”
opposite charges attract each other
State the “Law of Repulsion”.
similar charges repel each other
A neutral object has the same number of__________and ________.
protons and electrons
A positively charged object has ___________ electrons than protons.
less
A negatively charged object has __________ electrons than protons.
more
When you rub two different substances together, one gets a _____ charge and one gets a _________ charge.
positive and negative
What does the term grounding mean?
Grounding is the act of connecting a conductor, or exposed conductive parts of an installation, to the earth
