Topic 2c - static electricity and electric fields ( 1. static electricity )

Question 1

what is an electrical conductor

Answer 1

if electrical charges can move easily through a material. metals are known as good electrical conductors

Question 2

what is an electrical insulator

Answer 2

electrical charges cannot easily move through a material. plastic and rubbers are good electrical insulators

Question 3

what is static charge

Answer 3

an electric charge which cannot move. often found on electrical insulators where charge cannot flow freely. they can be + or -. a static charge builds up on a conductor if is isolated.

Question 4

how does static charge work

Answer 4

when certain insulators are rubbed together friction causes negatively charged electrons to be scraped of and left behind. this will leave a positive charge on the material that lost electrons.

Question 5

what is sparking

Answer 5

when an electric charge builds up on an object the pd between the object and the earth increases. if the pd is large enough electrons can jump between the charged object and the earth creating a spark.

Question 6

what 2 electrically charged objects will attract

Answer 6

opposite charges

Question 7

which 2 electrically charged objects will repel

Answer 7

objects with the same charges

Question 8

what is electrostatic attraction and replusion

Answer 8

forces with charges will cause objects to move. this is known as electrostatic attraction and repulsion and non contact forces. the forces get weaker the further apart they are.