17 October 2008 Meherzad Bhathena

Static Electricity
➢ Static electricity or electrostatics refers to effects caused by stationary
charges
➢ Charges can move from substance to another but do not flow through the
substances

The law of electrostatics:

• Like charges repel

• Unlike charges attract

Objects take on charge when their atoms gain or lose electrons

➢ Recall from last unit, that atoms are made up of protons, with a positive
charge and electrons with a negative charge
➢ Since protons are heavy and located in the nucleus, they never move and
can’t be lost or gained
➢ However the light electrons orbiting the nucleus can move

Objects can take on two basic types of charge

1. Negative – Objects become negative when they have an excess of electrons

A very small percentage of the atoms in the substance will take on extra
electron. However, when they substance is considered as a whole (with so
many atoms) the substance can take on an overall charge.
Note: 4 protons and 5 electrons on the atom would be a -1.

2. Positive – Objects become positive when they lose electrons or they have a
deficit of electrons

A very small percentage of the atoms in the substance will lose an electron.
However when they substance is considered as a whole (with so many atoms)
the substance can take on an overall charge
Note: 4 protons and 3 electrons the charge on the atom would be +1

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