Static Electricity

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• An imbalance of charges within or on the surface of a material .

• The charge remains until it is able to move away by means of an electric

current or electrical discharge .

• The unit of charge, the coulomb (C), is defined in terms of the ampere.

• 1 C = 6.241 x 1018 electron

• 1e = -1.6 x 10 - 19 C (Coulomb)
• Static electricity is a familiar electric phenomenon in which charged
particles are transferred from one body to another.

• Eg. If two bodies are rubbed together , especially if the objects

are insulators and the surrounding air is dry ,the two objects acquire
equal and opposite charges .
Charges , atoms and electrons
• When a strip of polythene is rubbed with a cloth it becomes charged
• If it is hung up and another rubbed polythene strip is brought near, repulsion occurs.
• Attraction occurs when a rubbed strip of cellulose acetate is brought near.
• This shows there are two kinds of electric charge.
• That on cellulose acetate is taken as positive (+) and that on polythene is negative (–).
• It also shows that: Like charges (+ and +, or – and –) repel, while unlike charges
(+ and –) attract.
• The force between electric charges decreases as their separation increases. Cellulose
acetate rubbed with a cloth

• Electrons transfer from cellulose to the cloth

Electric field around a charged object is
represented by field lines
Types of Charges

• There are two types of charges:

1.Positive Charge is one who loosed its electrons and becomes positively
charged.

2.Negative Charge is one which gains electrons and becomes negatively

charged.

• And, charges which get separated in this way are known as static electricity.
Gold leaf electroscope
Gold leaf electroscope
a.) Detecting a charge
Bring a charged polythene strip towards the cap: the leaf rises away
from the plate. When you remove the charged strip, the leaf falls again.
Repeat with a charged acetate strip.
b.) Charge by contact.
Draw a charged polythene strip firmly across the edge of the cap. The
leaf should rise and stay up when the strip is removed. If it does not,
repeat the process but press harder. The electroscope has now become
negatively charged by contact with the polythene strip, from which
electrons have been transferred.
c.) Insulators and conductors

• Touch the cap of the charged electroscope with different material and
Record your results. When the leaf falls, charge is passing to or from
the ground through you and the material touching the cap. If the fall
is rapid the material is a good conductor; if the leaf falls slowly, the
material is a poor conductor. If the leaf does not alter, the material is
a good insulator.
Electrons ,insulators and conductors
• In an insulator all electrons are bound firmly to their atoms
• in a conductor some electrons can move freely from atom to atom.
• An insulator can be charged by rubbing because the charge produced
cannot move from where the rubbing occurs, i.e. the electric charge is
static.
• A conductor will become charged only if it is held with an insulating
handle
Dangers of static electricity
Dangers of static electricity
• a.) Lightning: A tall building is protected by a lightning conductor
consisting of a thick copper strip fixed on the outside of the building
connecting metal spikes at the top to a metal plate in the ground

• b.) Re fuelling: An aircraft in flight may become charged by ‘rubbing’

the air.
• Its tyres are made of conducting rubber which lets the charge pass
harmlessly to ground on landing, otherwise an explosion could be
‘sparked off’ when the aircraft refuels.
• What precautions are taken at petrol pumps when a car is refuelled?
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• c) Operating theatres :
• Dust and germs are attracted by charged objects and so it is essential
to ensure that equipment and medical personnel are well ‘earthed’
allowing electrons to flow to and from the ground, for example by
conducting rubber.
Uses of static electricity
• Flue-ash precipitation

• Photocopiers

• Inkjet printers

• Air conditioner

• Spray painting
Electrostatic induction
• The attraction of an uncharged object by a charged object near it is
due to electrostatic induction

• Charging an uncharged object without touching it

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