static electricity

Question 1

how does charging happen by friction?

Answer 1

insulating materials rub against eachother, and electrons may be transferred from one material to the other. the material gaining electrons will have a negative charge and the material losing electrons will have an equally positive charge

Question 2

why insulating materials?

Answer 2

conductors transfer charge easily, whereas insulators do not transfer charge easily, so no electric shock. conductors are ‘earthed’ meaning that there is an easy pathway to the ground which will even out the charges.

Question 3

how is separating charges like lifting an item off the ground?

Answer 3

if you lift something from the ground, it gains gravitational potential energy like how if you separate a charge, it gains electrical potential energy

Question 4

what is voltage

Answer 4

potential difference

Question 5

we say that there is a voltage between the charges. what is this

Answer 5

the potential energy PER CHARGE

Question 6

what is the equation for voltage

Answer 6

V=E/Q
v=voltage (V, volts)
e=energy (J, joules)
q=charge (C, coulombs)

Question 7

what is the charge of one electron?

Answer 7

-1.6x10¯19 C