Accelerated Physics Activity: Introduction to Electrostatics — 

Page 1 of 4

Name _____________________________________ Date __________________ Period ________

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTROSTATICS

Directions: For each of the scenarios, you will record your predictions, observations, and possible explanations.

1. Place two strips of tape separately upon the table. Fold over a small rectangular section of each strip to
serve as a handle. Rub the strips of tape in order to produce a solid adhesion to the table. Quickly pull each
strip off the table so as to charge them in a like manner. (This is like scuffing your feet on the carpet.)
a. Slowly bring one piece of tape toward a pile of paper hole punches (neutral).

Predictions: Observations: Possible explanations:

b. Slowly bring the strips of tape closer to each other.

Predictions: Observations: Possible explanations:

2. Place a new strip of tape face down on the table. The end should be folded over in the shape of a rectangle.
Rub the strip of tape to produce a solid adhesion to the table. Another piece of tape has its end folded over
in the shape of a triangle; it is placed on top of the rectangle tape and rubbed to insure the best possible
adhesion.The two tapes are quickly pulled off the table and then quickly pulled away from each other.
a. Slowly bring the rectangle tape toward a pile of paper hole punches (neutral).

Predictions: Observations: Possible explanations:

Accelerated Physics Activity: Introduction to Electrostatics — Page 2 of 4

b. Slowly bring the triangle tape toward a pile of paper hole punches (neutral).

Predictions: Observations: Possible explanations:

c. Slowly bring the triangle tape and rectangle tape toward each other.

Predictions: Observations: Possible explanations:

3. Inflate a balloon (not too much) and rub it on your hair. When rubbed in this manner, the balloon is known
to acquire a negative charge.
a. Slowly bring the balloon toward one of the tape strips from part 1.

Predictions: Observations: Possible explanations:

Accelerated Physics Activity: Introduction to Electrostatics — Page 3 of 4

b. Slowly bring the balloon toward the rectangle tape from part 2.

Predictions: Observations: Possible explanations:

c. Slowly bring the balloon toward the triangle tape from part 2.

Predictions: Observations: Possible explanations:

d. Slowly bring the ballon toward the neutral paper bits.

Predictions: Observations: Possible explanations:

WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED ALL OF YOUR OBSERVATIONS . . .

On this back of this sheet, write a short reflection in which you try to make sense of all of your observations.
Consider the following:

Was there anything that surprised you?

How has your thinking changed?
Can you find any common thread that connects all of the demonstrations/experiments?
Accelerated Physics Activity: Introduction to Electrostatics — Page 4 of 4

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Accelerated Physics Notes: Charge and Charge Interactions — Page 1 of 3

Name _____________________________________ Date __________________ Period ________

CHARGE AND CHARGE INTERACTIONS

1. In the space below, draw a picture of your understanding of the structure of an atom. What does it look
like? What is inside of it? Express what you know by labeling the diagram.

2. There are __________ kinds of particles inside atoms. Describe each of them in the space below.

3. An electrically neutral atom is an atom which . . .

4. An electrically charged atom (referred to as an ________) can be distinguished from an electrically neutral
atom because the charged atom . . .
Accelerated Physics Notes: Charge and Charge Interactions — Page 2 of 3

5. Summarize what you know about the charge of atoms by inserting the symbols <, >, or = into the blanks:

negatively charged positively charged electrically neutral

# of e– _____ # of p+ # of e– _____ # of p+ # of e– _____ # of p+

6. Knowing the exact number of excess or deficient electrons in an object allows us to determine the charge of
an object. Use what you know about the charge of an electron to fill in the table below.

Quantity and sign of charge on object

Object # of excess or deficient electrons
in Coulombs (C)

A 1.0×103 excess electrons

B 1.0×106 deficient electrons

C 2.0×109 excess electrons

D 2.5×108 deficient electrons

E 6.82×1012 excess electrons

7. On the first day of school, Mr. DiDonato greets his students in an unusual manner. He stands at the door of
the classroom, scuffing his feet back and forth on a carpeted mat. As he does so, electrons move from the
carpet to his shoes to his body. Mr. DiDonato is now charged with a _____________ type of charge.

Then, Mr. DiDonato reaches out to shake hands with the students as they enter his classroom. As he does
so, some electrons leave Mr. DiDonato and move onto his students. Mr. DiDonato is now _________
negatively charged than before the contact with the student. The student is now charged with a
_____________ type of charge.

8. In a lab report on static electricity, Billy suggests that a sample of fur became positively charged by gaining
protons from the rubber balloon that it rubbed. Explain what is wrong with Billy’s statement.
Accelerated Physics Notes: Charge and Charge Interactions — Page 3 of 3

9. Oppositely-charged objects _________________. Like-charged objects _________________. A

charged object and a neutral object will _________________. Why?

10. Mr. DiDonato has prepared the room for the class’s entry by suspending several inflated balloons from the
ceiling. Upon entering the classroom, you observe two balloons being drawn towards each other. The
attraction of these balloons to one another provides evidence that:

11. As you look around the room, you observe two other balloons being pushed away from each other as shown
at the right. The repulsion of these balloons from one another provides evidence that:

12. On three occasions, the following charge interactions between balloons A, B, and C are observed. In each
case, it is known that balloon B is charged negatively. Based on these observations, what can you
conclusively confirm about the charge on balloons A and C for each situation?

BALLOON CHARGE
A

A B C B B negative
C

BALLOON CHARGE
A

A B A C B negative
C

BALLOON CHARGE
A

C B A C B negative
C
Accelerated Physics The Electroscope — Page 1 of 4

Name _____________________________________ Date __________________ Period ________

THE ELECTROSCOPE

In this lab activity, we will be using an electroscope to continue learning about charges and how we charge
objects. In addition to an electroscope, you will need the following materials:
fur
balloon
plastic rod
printer paper
acetate strip (clear)
vinyl strip (white)

An electroscope is a scientific instrument used to detect electric charge (which sign and how much). There are a
few different variations on the electroscope, but we will be using the gold-leaf electroscope, named for the two
gold leaves that hang from the metal stem.
metal sphere

metal stem

gold leaf gold leaf

You can always reset the electroscope to neutral by “ground”-ing it, i.e., touching it with your finger. This means
one of two things:
• If there is an excess of electrons on the electroscope, the extra electrons will flow through your finger to
the ground (earth), leaving the electroscope neutral.
• If there is a deficiency of electrons on the electroscope, electrons will flow from the ground (earth)
through your finger to the electroscope, leaving the electroscope neutral.

You can think of a “ground” as a giant reservoir that can transfer to or receive electrons from an object to
neutralize that object.

One more thing before you get started:

The most important thing to remember when performing this laboratory activity is that
ELECTRONS IN CONDUCTORS ALWAYS WANT TO MOVE!!!!!
Accelerated Physics The Electroscope — Page 2 of 4

1. Charge the balloon with the fur or with your hair. This is the first way we have learned to charge objects:
charging by friction. Charging in this manner gives the balloon a ______________ charge.

Another way to charge objects is charging by conduction (in other words, touching). Touch the balloon to
the metal sphere of the electroscope and then take it away. In doing so, ______________ from the
balloon are transferred to the sphere and distributed to the metal stem and gold leaves. Now, the metal
sphere, metal stem, and gold leaves all have a ______________ charge. Since both gold leaves have a
______________ charge, the two leaves ______________.

Charge the balloon again with the fur, and bring it closer to (but not touching!) the metal sphere. When
you do this, the electrons on the electroscope want to move _________ _________ (closer to/away from)
the balloon. What happens to the gold leaves? Why?

When you charge the balloon by rubbing it against the fur, the fur gets a ______________ charge
because electrical charge is ______________. Bring the fur closer to (but not touching!) the metal
sphere. When you do this, the electrons on the electroscope want to move _________ _________
(closer to/away from) the fur. What happens to the gold leaves? Why?
Accelerated Physics The Electroscope — Page 3 of 4

2. At this point you may need to recharge the balloon and give the electroscope an overall ______________
charge in case any funny business happened since part 1.

In part 2, you are going to use the electroscope to determine the charge of the acetate strip (clear) and vinyl
strip (white). In order to charge these strips, rub them (separately, of course!) with a clean piece of printer
paper.

In the space below, write your procedure for determining the charge of the strip and record your results.
Accelerated Physics The Electroscope — Page 4 of 4

3. Our final method of charging — charging by induction — deserves its own page. Unlike with conduction,
when we charge by induction, the objects do not touch.

Start off by making sure the electroscope is electrically neutral. Follow all of the instructions EXACTLY in the
order in which they are written. Charge the vinyl strip and bring it close to (but not touching!) the metal
sphere. When you do this, the electrons on the electroscope want to move _________ _________
(closer to/away from) the vinyl strip. Next, ground the electroscope by touching it. When you do this,
electrons are going to either flow from the ground into the electroscope or flow away from the electroscope
to the ground. Which one of these scenarios happens? Why?

While keeping the vinyl strip next to the metal sphere, take your finger off of the electroscope. Take the
vinyl strip away from the metal sphere, and you should find that the gold leaves have moved apart. If this is
not the case, jiggle the electroscope. Call me over if the totally scientific jiggle method does not work, and I
will try to help you. Now, the electroscope now has an overall ______________ charge. This is the
______________ (same/opposite) charge as the object used to induce the charge.

In the space below, write your procedure for confirming the charge of the electroscope and record your results.
Accelerated Physics Electrostatics Problem Set — Page 1 of 3

Name _____________________________________ Date __________________ Period ________

PROBLEM SET: ELECTROSTATICS

Directions: Show all work on a separate piece of paper. Box your final answer. Don’t forget to include units.

Electric Force

1. How many electrons make up a charge of –48.0 μC?

2. What is the magnitude of the electric force of attraction between an iron nucleus (q = +26e) and its
innermost electron if the distance between them is 1.5×10–12 m?

3. What is the magnitude of the force a +25 μC charge exerts on a +2.5 mC charge 16 cm away?

4. What is the repulsive electrical force between two protons 4.0×10–15 m apart from each other in an atomic
nucleus?

5. When an object such as a plastic comb is charged by rubbing it with a cloth, the net charge is typically a few
microcoulombs. If that charge is 3.0 μC, by what percentage does the mass of a 9.0-g comb change during
charging?

6. By how much is the electrical force between a pair of ions reduced when their separation distance is
doubled? Tripled?

7. Two charged dust particles exert a force of 4.2×10–2 N on each other. What will be the force if they are
moved so they are only one-eighth as far apart?

8. A person scuffing her feet on a wool rug on a dry day accumulates a net charge of –28.0 μC. How many
excess electrons does she get, and by how much does her mass increase?

9. Compare the electric force holding the electron in orbit (r = 0.53×10–10 m) around the proton of the
hydrogen atom, with the gravitational force between the same electron and proton. What is the ratio of
these two forces?

10. How close must two electrons be if the magnitude of the electric force between them is equal to the weight
of either at the Earth’s surface?

11. Particles of charge +65, +48, and –95 μC are placed in a line (see below). The center one is 0.35 m from

each of the others. Calculate the net force on each charge due to the other +17.0 μC
two.

12. Three charges are placed as shown to the right. Determine the magnitude and 15.0 cm
direction of the net electrostatic force on the –12.0 μC charge.

15.0 cm
–12.0 μC –38.0 μC
Accelerated Physics Electrostatics Problem Set — Page 2 of 3

1.9×10–13 2.3×1039 5.08 14 2.00×102 2.7 1.75×1014 2.7×10–3

1.59×10-16 1/9 120 2.2×104 1/4 3.00×1014 450 560 24.1

Electric Fields

13. Determine the magnitude and direction of the electric force on an electron in a uniform electric field of
strength 2460 N/C that points due east.

14. A proton is released in a uniform electric field, and it experiences an electric force of 1.86×10–14 N toward
the south. Find the magnitude and direction of the electric field.

15. Determine the magnitude and direction of the electric field 21.7 cm directly above an isolated +33.0×10–6
C charge.

16. A downward electric force of 6.4 N is exerted on a –7.3 μC charge. Find the magnitude and direction of the
electric field at the position of the charge.

17. Determine the magnitude of the acceleration experienced by an electron in an electric field of 756 N/C.

18. Determine the magnitude and direction of the electric field at a point midway between a –8.0 μC and a
+5.8 μC charge 6.0 cm apart. Assume no other charges are nearby.

19. What is the electric field strength at a point in space where a proton experiences an acceleration of 2.4
million “g’s”?

20. An electron is released from rest in a uniform electric field and accelerates to the north at a rate of 105 m/s2.
Find the magnitude and direction of the electric field.

21. Two point charges, Q1 = –32 μC and Q2 = +45 μC, are separated by a distance of 12 cm. The electric field
at the point P (see below) is zero. How far from Q1 is P?

5.98 ×10–10 0.65 1.16×105 0.25 6.30×106

1.33×1014 1.38×108 3.94×10–16 8.8×105

Accelerated Physics Electrostatics Problem Set — Page 3 of 3

Electric Potential

22. How much work does the electric field do in moving a –7.7 µC charge from ground to a point whose
potential is +55 V higher?

23. How much kinetic energy will an electron gain if it accelerates through a potential difference of 23,000 V in
a TV picture tube?

24. What is the electric potential 15.0 cm from a 4.00 µC point charge?

25. A point charge Q creates an electric potential of +125 V at a distance of 15.0 cm. What is Q?

2.1×10–9 4.2×10–4 3.7×10–15 2.40×105