Static Electricity

Unit 16: Static Electricity
21 October 2020
Unit 16.1: Electrostatics
Learning Outcomes
In this section, you’ll be able to:
•  State that there are positive and negative
electric charges only
•  State that like charges repel, unlike charges
attract
•  State that charge is measured in coulombs (C)
•  Understand how electrostatic charging of
insulators occurs
Copyright © 2006-2011 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. 21 October 2020
Electrostatic charging by friction
•  Some objects like glass and silk will acquire electric
charges when they are rubbed together.
•  Rubbing transfers negative charges (called electrons)
from one object to another.
Fig. 16.2 The glass rod and silk are Fig. 16.3 Some negative charges from the
electrically neutral, i.e. they have the glass rod are transferred to the silk. The
same number of positive and negative silk has excess negative charges and the
charges on them. glass rod has excess positive charges
How is electric charge transferred by friction?
•  A neutral atom has an equal number of electrons and
protons.
•  If electrons are removed, the atom is positively charged; if
electrons are added, the atoms is negatively charged.
•  When a glass rod and a piece of silk are rubbed together,
some electrons from the surface atoms of glass is
transferred to the silk.
•  The glass rod becomes positively charged as it loses
electrons and the silk becomes negatively charged as it
gains electrons.
Fig. 16.3 Some negative

charges from the glass rod
are transferred to the silk.
The silk has excess
negative charges and the
glass rod has excess
positive charges.
How is electric charge transferred by friction?
Table 16.1 Types of charges acquired when some materials are

rubbed together
TRIBOELECTRIC SERIES
From the three experiments, we can observe the

following facts:
1. There are two types of charges — positive and

negative
2. Like charges repel, unlike charges attract.
Note:
The attraction and repulsion of electric

charges can be used in experiments to
demonstrate the existence of two types of
charges. Note that it is possible for a charged
object to attract an uncharged object that is
free to move but it cannot repel an uncharged
object, since it is neutral.
Measurement of electric charge
•  Electric charge (whether positive or negative)

is measured in coulombs (C)—the SI unit of
electric charge.
•  In an atom, the an electron or proton carry a

charge of 1.6×10-19 C.
Test Yourself 16.1
1.  What kinds of charges exist?
Answer:
Two types of charges exist—positive and

negative.
Test Yourself 16.1
2.  What is the SI unit of charge?
Answer:
Coulombs (C)
Key Ideas
1.  There are two types of charges—positive and

negative.
2.  Like charges repel, unlike charges attract
3.  Charge is measured in coulombs (C).
4.  Electrostatic charging by friction involves a

transfer of electrons.
Unit 16.3: Electric Field
Learning Outcomes
•  State what an electric field is and draw electric
field patterns
•  The attractive or repulsive forces between

charges is known as an electric force.
•  This force is experienced without the charges

being in contact with each other.
•  An electric field is a region where and electric

charge experiences an electric force.
Representing the electric field
•  An electric field can be illustrated by drawing
lines with arrows which are called electric lines
of force.
•  The direction of the field is defined as the
direction of the force on a small positive
charge.
Fig. 16.22(a) Field lines of a Fig. 16.22(b) Field lines of

positive charge. a negative charge.
•  The strength of an electric field is indicated by
how close the field lines are to each other.
Fig. 16.23 Field lines of two opposite charges placed close

together.
Fig. 16.24 Field lines of two Fig. 16.25 Field lines due to parallel
positive charges placed close charged plates. Take note that the
together. How do you think the field lines start from positive charges
field lines of two negative charges on one plate and end on negative
would look like? Would the charges on the other plate. The field
direction of field lines be the is said to be uniform in this region.
same?
Unit 16.2: Insulators and Conductors
Learning Outcomes
•  Describe experiments to show electrostatic
charging by induction for conductors
Insulators
•  Insulators are materials where electrons are not
free to move about inside the material.
•  E.g. glass, silk, perspex and wool
•  Insulators do not conduct electricity and are
charged by friction.
Fig. 16.10(a) The removal

or addition of electrons at
one location in an insulator
does not cause the electrons
to flow. The charge remains
at the region where it was
transferred.
Conductors
•  Conductors are materials that allow electrons to
move freely within them.
•  E.g. metals like copper, iron or steel
•  They are able to conduct electricity and are
charged by a process called induction.
Fig. 16.10(b)
When electrons are
gained or lost in a
conductor, the
electrons will be
redistributed.
Neutralising charged insulators and
conductors
The process of neutralising a charged object,

by removing the excess charge from it, is
known as discharging.
conductors
Discharging a charged insulator
•  Heating a charged glass rod over a Bunsen flame.
•  The intense heat causes the air surrounding the

glass rod to be ionised and the ions in the air will
neutralise the excess charge in the glass rod.
•  Humid conditions will neutralise a charged

insulator as the water vapour in the air will
remove the excess charges.
conductors
Discharging a charged conductor
•  A charged conductor can be neutralised by earthing it.
•  To earth a charged conductor is to provide a path for
the excess electrons to flow away or for electrons to
flow to the conductor.
Fig. 16.11 Earthing a negatively charged Fig. 16.12 Earthing a positively charged
metal sphere will cause the excess electrons metal sphere will cause electrons to flow
to flow away from the sphere to the ground. from the ground to the sphere.
Charging conductors by induction
•  Induction is the process of charging a

conductor without any contact with the
charging body.
•  Insulators cannot be charged by induction.
1.  Describe how you would obtain positive charge on
a single conductor.
Answer:
Step 1: Bring a negatively charged glass rod near the metal conductor on an
insulating stand. The free electrons in the metal will be drawn towards the side
nearer the positively charged glass rod.
a single conductor.
Answer:
Step 2: Without removing the glass rod, earth the negatively charged side of
the metal conductor by touching it with your hand. Electrons will flow from
the conductor into the ground.
a single conductor.
Answer:
Step 3: With the glass rod still in place, remove your hand from the conductor.
a single conductor.
Answer:
Step 4: Remove the glass rod. The conductor is now negatively charged.
+ + +
Key Ideas
1.  Electrical insulators (e.g. rubber) do not conduct
electricity because their electric charges (electrons)
are not free to move about.
2.  Electrical conductors (e.g. copper) are able to
conduct electricity because their electric charges
(electrons) are free to move within them.
3.  Charged insulators can be neutralised by heating
and humid conditions.
4.  Charged conductors can be neutralised by earthing.
5.  Conductors can be charged by induction.
Unit 16.4: Hazards and Applications of
Electrostatics
Learning Outcomes
•  Describe examples where electrostatic
charging may be a hazard
•  Describe an example of how electrostatic
charging is used
Electrostatics
Some hazards of electrostatics
1.  Lightning
•  Thunderclouds are charged by friction between
the water molecules in the thunderclouds and
air molecules.
•  It then ionises the air and the ionised air
provides a conducting path for electric charge
to be discharged to the nearest or sharpest
object on the ground.
Electrostatics
Some hazards of electrostatics
2.  Electrostatic discharge
•  Excessive charges may build up due to friction
•  Electronic equipment, such as computer boards
and hard drive, can be easily damaged.
•  Such equipments are usually packed in antistatic
packaging materials.
Electrostatics
Practical applications of electrostatics
1.  Laser printer
Electrostatics
2.  Electrostatic precipitator
Fig 16.34 Diagram of an

electrostatic precipitator
Electrostatics

3.  Spray painting
•  As the spray leaves the nozzle, the particles of paint

become charged by friction.
•  The paint particles contain like charges thus they
spread out when they are sprayed on a car body.
•  The charged paint particles will be attracted to the
metallic car body.
Electrostatics
4.  Crop sprayers
5.  High-voltage generators
Electrostatics
Key Ideas
1.  An electric field is a region where an electric
charge experiences an electric force.
2.  The direction of the field is the direction of

the force on a small positive charge.
3.  Some hazards of electrostatic charging are

lightning and electrostatic discharge.
4.  Some uses of electrostatic charging are the

laser printer, photocopier and electrostatic
precipitators.
Electrostatics
Test Yourself 16.3 – 16.4
1.  Sketch the electric field lines due to
(a) an isolated negative charge, and
(b) a positive and negative charge placed
close to each other.
Answer:
(a) (b)
Electrostatics
2.  State any two hazards of electrostatics.
Answer:
Lightning and electrostatic discharge.
Electrostatics
3.  State any two applications of electrostatics.
Answer:
Spray painting and electrostatic precipitator.
Unit 16: Static Electricity

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Unit 16: Static Electricity

Fig. 16.3 Some negative

Table 16.1 Types of charges acquired when some materials are

From the three experiments, we can observe the

1. There are two types of charges — positive and

2. Like charges repel, unlike charges attract.

The attraction and repulsion of electric

Measurement of electric charge

• Electric charge (whether positive or negative)

• In an atom, the an electron or proton carry a

Two types of charges exist—positive and

1. There are two types of charges—positive and

2. Like charges repel, unlike charges attract

3. Charge is measured in coulombs (C).

4. Electrostatic charging by friction involves a

• The attractive or repulsive forces between

• This force is experienced without the charges

• An electric field is a region where and electric

Fig. 16.22(a) Field lines of a Fig. 16.22(b) Field lines of

Fig. 16.23 Field lines of two opposite charges placed close

Fig. 16.10(a) The removal

The process of neutralising a charged object,

• The intense heat causes the air surrounding the

• Humid conditions will neutralise a charged

Charging conductors by induction

• Induction is the process of charging a

• Insulators cannot be charged by induction.

Fig 16.34 Diagram of an

Practical applications of electrostatics

• As the spray leaves the nozzle, the particles of paint

Practical applications of electrostatics

4. Crop sprayers

5. High-voltage generators

2. The direction of the field is the direction of

3. Some hazards of electrostatic charging are

4. Some uses of electrostatic charging are the

Lightning and electrostatic discharge.

Spray painting and electrostatic precipitator.

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1. There are two types of charges — positive and

2. Like charges repel, unlike charges attract.

•  Electric charge (whether positive or negative)

•  In an atom, the an electron or proton carry a

1.  There are two types of charges—positive and

2.  Like charges repel, unlike charges attract

3.  Charge is measured in coulombs (C).

4.  Electrostatic charging by friction involves a

•  The attractive or repulsive forces between

•  This force is experienced without the charges

•  An electric field is a region where and electric

•  The intense heat causes the air surrounding the

•  Humid conditions will neutralise a charged

•  Induction is the process of charging a

•  Insulators cannot be charged by induction.

•  As the spray leaves the nozzle, the particles of paint

4.  Crop sprayers

5.  High-voltage generators

2.  The direction of the field is the direction of

3.  Some hazards of electrostatic charging are

4.  Some uses of electrostatic charging are the