Static Electricity (TRIPLE)

Question 1

How do insulating materials become electrically charged?

Answer 1

When certain insulating materials are rubbed together they become electrically charged.

Question 2

How does static electricity work?

Answer 2

Negatively charged electrons are rubbed
off one material and on to the other. The material that gains electrons
becomes negatively charged. The material that loses electrons is left
with an equal positive charge

Question 3

If an atom gains electrons it has a what charge?

Answer 3

Negative

Question 4

If an atom loses electrons it has a what charge?

Answer 4

Positive

Question 5

What is a common example in your lives where you experience effects of static electricity?

Answer 5

Lightning is an interchange of electrons between the earth and a charged cloud.

Question 6

What is static electricity?

Answer 6

When something insulated becomes charged the charge cannot move as there is not conductive path for it to travel through.

Question 7

What is a material called that cannot conduct electric charge?

Answer 7

An insulator.

Question 8

What happens to make a balloon stick to the wall after you’ve rubbed it against your jumper?

Answer 8

The balloon has been given an electric charge and it is attracted to the opposite charges (in the wall). The reason for this is that the rubber in the balloon has a stronger bond with the electrons than the wool that your jumper is made from, so the balloon rips electrons from your jumper.

Question 9

What is the electrostatic series?

Answer 9

A list of materials that give or take electrons.

Question 10

List the materials in the electrostatic series

Answer 10

Air
Human hands (the nearer the top the more
Glass likely to give up electrons)
Wool
Fur
Lead
Silk
Paraffin wax
ebonite
copper (the nearer the bottom the more
brass likely to gain)
sulfur

Question 11

What is a practical use of electrostatics?

Answer 11

When spraying cars, the droplets of paint are given a high voltage positive charge by passing the droplets past a positively charged needle as they leave the spray gun. Droplets only do this by losing negative electrons to the needle. The body of the car to be sprayed is given a negative charge so that it will attract the positive droplets and as all of these droplets have a positive charge they repel each other and spread out which gives the car an even coat of paint.

Question 12

How is electrostatics used with farmers?

Answer 12

It is used when insecticide spraying, the droplet of the insecticide are given a positive charge so that they repel each other and spread of evenly.