physics // static electricity Flashcards
Define ‘charging’.
When an object becomes either positively charged (more protons than electrons) or negatively charged (more electrons than protons) via friction or contact.
Define ‘discharging’.
When you remove charge from an object.
Define ‘static electricity’.
A form of electricity resulting from the imbalance between positive and negative charges within a material.
What is an insulator?
A category of material that keeps its charge in one area on its surface; the electrons are immobile.
What is a conductor?
A category of material where the charge is spread out throughout the object; the electrons are mobile.
What does it mean to charge something by friction?
When you rub two neutral objects together, leaving one with a positive charge and the other with a negative charge (based on the electrostatic series).
What is the law of electric charges?
- Opposite charges attract, like charges repel.
- Neutral objects attract charged objects.
What is the electrostatic series?
A list of materials based on how easily they gain or lose electrons. When charging by friction, you use the electrostatic series to determine which objects get what charge. Materials with a weaker hold on electrons are found at the top of the electrostatic series, whereas materials with a stronger hold are found at the bottom.
Define ‘grounding’.
When you touch a charged object to a much larger neutral object, and the larger object absorbs all of the charge (without becoming charged itself).
Define ‘polarization’.
When the electrons in a negatively charged object repel the negative charge in a neutral object further into it, making the surface of the latter object positive.
