STATIC ELECTRICITY

NOTES
Insulators are charged by rubbing.
Conductors are charged by contact or induction.
When two conductors are in contact, their charges become at equilibrium.
A neutral conductor can be attracted by charged object, but it can never be
repelled.
Electric field lines point in the direction that a small positive charge will move when
placed in the field.

WORKOUT QUESTIONS
1. A charged
true?
a. The
b. The
c. The
d. The

pith ball attracts another pith ball. Which of the following must be
second
second
second
second

pith
pith
pith
pith

ball
ball
ball
ball

must carry an opposite charge

does not necessarily have to be charged
has fewer charges than the first pith ball
is smaller than the first pith ball

2. The current in a circuit is measured to be 0.48A. Given than the charge of an

electron
is 1.6 x 10-19 C, how many electrons are flowing through any fixed point in the
circuit at a point in time?
a. 3 x 1018 electrons
b. 5 x 1018 electrons
c. 7 x 1018 electrons
d. 9 x 1018 electrons
3. What
a.
b.
c.
d.

happens when a negative charge is placed in an electric field?

It becomes neutralized
It becomes more strongly charged
A force acts on it in the direction of the field
A force acts on it in the opposite direction of the field

Han, 2011. All rights reserved.

4. Which of the following figures is most likely to be correct?

a.

b.

c.

d.

5. A charged polythene ball is discharged by

a. Earthing it
b. Bringing an oppositely charged ball near it
c. Heating it over a flame
d. Bringing a magnet near it

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6. A small conducting ball hangs on a nylon thread between 2 oppositely

charged metal plates. What happens to the ball when it is given a slight
negative charge?

a. It moves to the left, touches the plate and sticks there

b. It moves to the right, touches the plate and sticks there
c. It moves to the left and then back and forth continuously, touching the
plates
d. It moves to the right and then back and forth continuously, touching
the plates
7. Balls A and B are charged insulators suspended freely by nylon threads.
Which of the following statements must be true?

A
B
a.
b.
c.
d.

Ball
Ball
Ball
The

A is lighter than ball B

A carries a smaller charge than ball B
A carries a larger charge than ball B
two balls are oppositely charged

Han, 2011. All rights reserved.

8. The metal spheres are on insulating stands. They are separated while the rod
is still in place. Then rod is then removed. What are the final charges carried
by metal spheres X, Y and Z?

a.
b.
c.
d.

X
negative
positive
negative
positive

Y
neutral
neutral
slightly positive
slightly negative

Z
positive
negative
positive
negative

9. In which direction does negatively charged particle X move?

A
B
X

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10.A positively charged metal sphere is connected to a neutral metal sphere of

half the size. What happens?
a. There is a negative charge induced in the smaller sphere
b. The smaller sphere becomes positively charged, but less than the
larger sphere
c. Both the spheres are now equally charged
d. The positive charge in the larger sphere is neutralized and both
spheres are now neutral
11.A polythene rod is rubbed with a cloth. The rod becomes negatively charged.
a. Explain in detail how this happens, with regard to electron movements.
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b. A copper rod is rubbed similarly with a cloth. Describe what happens
and why.
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12.A positively charged metal ball suspended freely from an insulating thread is
brought near to an uncharged metal sphere on an insulating stand.
a. Explain what happens using a labeled diagram.

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What are the final charges carried by the metal ball and the metal sphere?
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Han, 2011. All rights reserved.

_______________________________________________________________________
13.A positively charged metal rod is brought close to a metal sphere on an
insulating stand. They do not touch.
a. Draw a diagram to show the charges in the rod and the sphere.

b. The metal sphere is earthed. Draw the new distribution of charges.

c. The earthing wire is removed. The rod is then also removed. The metal
sphere is brought close to another metal sphere. The new metal sphere
has a small negative charge. Describe and explain what happens.
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________________________________________________________________________

Han, 2011. All rights reserved.