What Is Electrostatics?

Electrostatics is the study of the electrical fields surrounding electrical charges and
the resulting forces between charged surfaces. The resulting interactions are
entirely dependent on the charges and their relative positions and not by their
motion. The study of stationary electric charges at rest is known as electrostatics.

Two glass rods rubbed with silk, become charged with static electricity, and repel
each other and two ebonite rods rubbed with fur, become charged with static
electricity, and repel each other. However the charged glass rods attract the
charged ebonite rods. It has been accepted by convention that the glass rods have
become positively charged and the ebonite rods have become negatively charged.
The processes result in the silk acquiring a negative charge and the fur acquiring
positive charges.

Electrostatics is a branch of physics in which static electric field produced by

static electric charges are studied. Electrostatics plays a major role in everyday life.
The various applications of electrostatics include photocopiers, defibrillator, paint
spraying, electrostatic precipitator etc.

An electroscope is used to detect the charge on a body. A pith ball electroscope is

used to detect a charge and to know the nature of the charge. Gold leaf
electroscope, which was invented by Abraham Bennet, detects a charge, the nature
of the charge and determines the quantity of the charge. An electroscope is a
device to determine or measure the presence of electrostatic charges. The device's
operation is simply based on the Coulomb Force Law. This is a relatively crude
instrument used only for education. Modern instruments, based on vacuum tubes
or solid state technology can be used to measure extremely small charge levels.
Conductors, Insulators, and Semiconductors

 A body in which electric charge can easily flow through is called

a conductor (For example, metals).
 A body in which electric charge cannot flow is called
an insulator or dielectric. (For example, glass, wool, rubber, plastic, etc.)
 Substances which are intermediate between conductors and insulators are
called semiconductors. (For example, silicon, germanium, etc.)