Static electricity Flashcards
What type of materials can’t conduct electricity due to fixed electrons?
Insulators
Insulators prevent the flow of electrons, allowing static electricity to build up.
Why does static electricity not work in conductors?
Because electrons can flow away
Conductors have delocalized electrons which allow them to conduct electricity.
What are the two types of electric charges?
Positive and negative
What happens when the number of protons equals the number of electrons in an object?
There is no charge
The charges cancel each other out.
What charge do protons, electrons, and neutrons have?
Protons: +1, Electrons: -1, Neutrons: 0
Where are protons and neutrons located in an atom?
In the nucleus
What happens to electrons when two insulators are rubbed together?
Electrons are transferred from one object to the other
What charge does an object gain if it loses electrons?
Positively charged
What charge does an object gain if it gains electrons?
Negatively charged
What occurs when two bodies have the same type of charge?
They repel each other
What happens when two bodies have opposite charges?
They attract each other
Fill in the blank: The piece of paper is attracted to the Van de Graaf generator because the electrons are attracted to the _______.
positively charged dome
What is required for the attraction between the piece of paper and the Van de Graaf generator to occur?
A supply of electrons (e.g. a route to Earth)
What effect does rubbing two conductors together have?
Electrons flow in/out, cancelling out effects and keeping it neutral
What happens to a snake when it flicks towards a positively charged dome?
The snake is attracted to the dome and loses electrons, becoming positively charged
This causes the snake to move away from the dome due to repulsion.
What is the main danger of static electricity?
A spark can cause a fire or an explosion
Sparking occurs when charged objects are close but not touching.
What occurs during sparking?
Charge jumps through the air from a highly negative object to a highly positive object
This is an attempt to balance the charges.
List three dangers associated with sparks.
- Lightning
- Refuelling an airplane
- Operating theatre explosions
Sparks can ignite fuel or cause explosions in environments with flammable gases.
What is earthing?
An easy route of least resistance to the ground for electrons
It allows electrons to flow to/from the earth, neutralizing charged objects.
How is static electricity used in spray painting?
Droplets are positively charged, repelling each other and attracting to negatively charged objects
This ensures an even coat and coverage of unfilled areas.
Describe how ink-jet printers utilize static electricity.
Spots of ink are given an electric charge as they leave the nozzle
Deflective plates with alternating charges guide the ink drops to the correct position on the paper.
What is electrostatic induction?
Electrostatic induction is the process by which a charged object can induce a charge distribution in a nearby neutral object without direct contact.
True or False: Electrostatic induction requires physical contact between charged and neutral objects.
False
Fill in the blank: In electrostatic induction, the side of the neutral object closest to the charged object becomes __________ charged.
oppositely
What happens to the overall charge of a neutral object during electrostatic induction?
The overall charge of the neutral object remains neutral; however, a separation of charges occurs within it.