Compare and contrast the charge created using the electroscopes.

The way and electroscope works is illustrated below.

neutral charge evenly
distributed

charged

neutral charge unevenly

distributed in presents of
another charged object

Triboelectric Series
(...a series of relative affinities ~ positive and negative charges)
When two materials are brought into contact some charge will be exchanged due to the affinities below.
Note:
fur(+) and plastic(-)
silk(-) and glass(+)
MORE POSITIVE
rabbit's fur
glass
mica
nylon
wool
cat's fur
silk
paper
cotton
wood
acrylic
cellophane tape
polystyrene
polyethylene
rubber balloon
saran wrap
MORE NEGATIVE

: rub plastic rod with fur should make the rod negative.
: rub glass with silk should get a positive rod .

compiled by Ken Fox of Smoky Hill High School

The Triboelectric
Electricity

Series

of

Materials

Causing

Static

by Ron Kurtus (revised 22 July 2003)

Static electricity is the collection of electrically charged particles on the surface of a material. Various
materials have a tendency of either giving up electrons and gaining positive (+) charges or attracting
electrons and gaining negative (-) charges. The list of these materials in the order of how much they become
positive (+) or negative (-) is called the Triboelectric Series. It is a handy tool to see which materials in
combination will create static electricity.
How does the Triboelectric Series compare with the Periodic Table?
What are materials in the Triboelectric Series?
How can the list of materials be used to create static electricity?
Compared with Periodic Table
The Triboelectric Series lists materials according to how likely they are to let go of electrons or to take on
electrons from other materials. It is somewhat parallel to Chemistry's Periodic Table.
Periodic Table
The Periodic Table arranges elements according to their outer orbits, such that elements like Sodium (with
only one electron is its outer orbit) are on one side of the table and elements like Chlorine (with one electron
short of filling its outer orbit) are on the other side of the table. This arrangement helps to determine which
elements will readily combine.
Triboelectric Series
Most of the materials in the Triboelectric Series are complex compounds and not elements. Usually, there is
no chemical reaction when materials are put together, rather there is just the movement of electrons from
one material to the other.
List of materials
The following Triboelectric Series shows which materials will work the best to create static electricity when
rubbed together. Rubbing those that collect positive charges with those that collect negative charges will
produce the best results. But you can also create some charges by rubbing two materials in the same section.
For example, rubbing rabbit fur on aluminum will create some positive ( + ) to collect on the rabbit fur, even
though they are both collectors of positive charges.
Collects positive charges
The following materials will give up electrons when brought in contact with materials, especially those that
attract electrons. They are in the order of most apt to give electrons to those that barely give up electrons.
Dry human skin ( ++++++ )
Leather
Rabbit fur
Glass
Human hair
Nylon
Wool
Lead
Silk
Aluminum
Paper
Cotton ( + )
Neutral

There are very few materials that do not tend to readily attract or give up electrons when brought in contact
or rubbed with other materials.
Steel ( 0 )
Collects negative charges
The following list of materials will attract electrons when brought in contact with other materials, especially
those that give up electrons. They are in the order of least apt to attract electrons to those that readily attract
electrons.
Wood ( - )
Amber
Hard rubber
Nickel, Copper
Brass, Silver
Gold, Platinum
Polyester
Styrene (Styrofoam)
Saran Wrap
Polyurethane
Polyethylene (like Scotch Tape)
Polypropylene
Vinyl (PVC)
Silicon
Teflon ( - - - - - - )
Applications
You can use the Triboelectric Series to determine what materials are good to use for creating static
electricity.
Rub positive materials with negative
For example, rubbing your dry skin on teflon will create the greatest imbalance of electrical charges.
Rubbing any material from the ( + ) list with materials in the ( - ) list should be good to create static
electricity.
Members of same list
But you can also rub materials on the same list to create an excess of charges. For example, some people
with dry skin may build up charges when wearing cotton clothes. Of course, the charges are not as great as if
they would be wearing polyester clothes. Clothes in a dryer often get static charges. Polyester materials are
rubbing against each other and building up charges. If there are also cotton items in the dryer, even more
static cling will build up.
Dry skin
Since dry skin collects charges so readily, it is a good idea to use a moisturizer when the humidity is very
low. This will not only reduce the chances of getting sparks, but will also protect the skin.
Metals
Surprisingly some metals have a tendency to build up charges on their surfaces. For example, shining a piece
of brass with a wool rag will build up positive charges on the wool and negative charges on the surface of
the brass. But because brass is a good conductor of electricity, those surface charges will quickly dissipate
through the metal.
All metals will allow electrons to flow freely and are often used to absorb static charges. That is why metals
are not usually used to created static electricity.
In conclusion

Static electricity occurs when there are an excess of positive (+) or negative (-) charges on an object's
surface. You can create static electricity by rubbing certain materials together. The position of the material in
the Triboelectric Series determines how effectively the charges will be exchanged.

Positive (+)
Air
Human Hands
Asbestos
Rabbit's Fur
Glass
Human Hair
Mica
Nylon
Wool
Lead
Cat's Fur
Silk
Aluminum
Paper
Cotton
Steel
Wood
Lucite
Sealing wax
Amber
Polystyrene
Polyethylene
Rubber balloon
Sulphur
Hard rubber
Nickel, Copper
Brass, Silver
Gold, Platinum
Sulfur
Acetate, Rayon
Polyester
Celluloid
Polyurethane
Polyethylene
Polypropylene
Vinyl
Silicon
Teflon
Saran Wrap
Negative (-)