AAB10302 : ELECTRICAL FUNDAMENDAL 1

STATIC
ELECTRICITY &
CONDUCTION
19 January
2015
Unit of Charge and
Current

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 Unit of Charge
• The charge of an electron (or Proton) is
extremely small and is inconvenient for
practical measurement.

• Unit of charge or quantity of electricity is the

coulumb. The symbol is Q.

• A charge of one coulumb is equal to the

charge of 6.24 x 1018 electrons.

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 Unit of Charge
• A Basic law which states that like charges repel
and unlike charges attract to each other
(Coulumb’s Law)

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 Unit of Charge
Electrostatic Force
 The force that created between two charged
bodies
 Either attractive or repulsive, depend on the
object’s charge.

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 Unit of Charge
Electrostatic Force/Field
Strength of an electrostatic field depends on,

 Strength of the charge on those two bodies –

directly proportional
 Distance between the two charged bodies.
Coulomb’s Law

“The magnitude or strength of the electrostatic force between two

point charges is directly proportional to the magnitudes of each charge
and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the
charges.”

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 Unit of Charge
Electrostatic Force/Field
In equation form,
k (Q1) (Q2)
F (Force) = --------------
d2
where,
Q1 - quantity of charge on object 1 (in Coulombs),
Q2 - quantity of charge on object 2 (in Coulombs),
d - distance between the centers of charge of separation
between the two objects/charges (in meters).
k - Coulomb's law constant
(e.g. for air is approx. 9.0 x 109 N • m2 / C2 )

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 Electrostatic
Cause of Electrostatic
 Static electricity is build up when friction
causes electrical charges to build up on a
surface of a non-conduction material.
 Usually caused when certain materials are
rubbed against each other (like wool on
plastic or the soles of your shoes on the
carpet)

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 Electrostatic

AIRFLOW

•Static charges are developed when a/craft flies through rain, cloud
snow, dust and other particles in atmosphere.

•The amount of charge that build up depends on the atmospheric

conditions, and material of which it is made (surface).

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 Electrostatic
SPARK
 A spark is a stream of electrons jumping across an air
gap, heating the air until it glows and expands.
 Certain conditions can cause enough static electricity
buildup to cause a spark or lightning.
 A spark often requires both a conductor and non-
conductor.
 Sparks are an extreme case of electrons being attracted
to an object that has a positive charge.

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 Electrostatic

Aircraft Static Discharge Wicks

Provide points from which static charges are dissipated into the air
before a high potential builds on the control surface
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Electrostatic
Bonding jumper / strap
- Is to provide a low
resistance between a
control surface and the
aircraft structure
- Allows small currents to
continuously flow
between materials and
equipment, prevent
build up of large static
charges.

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Electrostatic
When Refueling Aircraft :

Aircraft must be electrically grounded

before they are fueled. Ground reel
connect the aircraft and the fueling truck or
pit together, and both of them are
connected to the earth ground so that the
static charges that build up during fueling
can pass harmlessly to the ground.

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 Unit of Current
Direction of current flow
(Movement of electron)

 Conventional Current Flow

- From positive to negative
 Electron Flow
- From negative to positive
- used in aviation industry

Note : Direction of flow is not important in troubleshooting aircraft

electrical system. (Either current flow or not is the most important)

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 Unit of Current
Current
 Flow of electrons forced into motion by voltage
in the electrical circuit.
 It is measured in Amperes (Amps or A) .
 Represented by the letter “I”.
 One ampere of current flow is one coulomb
second which is one coulomb of electron (6.24
x 1018 electrons) flow passed a point through a
wire in one second.

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Unit of Current

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 Unit of Current
Factors affecting current are,

 Size or the cross sectional

area of the conductor/wire
 Power source.
 Resistance in the circuit.
CONDUCTOR

CROSS SECTIONAL AREA

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 Unit of Current
The rate of flow of electrons can occurs in one of
three forms known as ‘ Direct Current’ (DC), ‘
Pulsating Current’ and ‘Alternating Current’ (AC).

 Direct current (DC)

- movement of electrons in one
direction in a conductor.

- the amplitude of voltage and

current remain steady often
referred as ‘pure DC’

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 Unit of Current

 Pulsating Current
- a current in one direction that
varies in intensity at a regular
interval of time.

- either current or voltage vary

from zero reference level to
maximum or peak value

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 Unit of Current

 Alternating current (AC)

- a current flow through a

load in one direction and
then reverses with
continually changes its
value and periodically
- the number of such cycles
occurring in one second is
termed ‘frequency’. The unit is
hertz (Hz)
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 Conduction of electricity

 Movement of electrically charged particles

through a transmission medium. The medium
can be either,
- Solids
- Liquids
- Gasses
- Vacuum

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