Arneil Jayson E. Ilustrisimo.

March 24, 2020

BSED SCI 2-B1 Electricity and Magnetism

1. For me the interaction between two similarly charged objects is repulsive. The interaction between
two oppositely charged objects is attractive. However, what type of interaction is observed between a
charged object and a neutral object? The answer may actually be quite surprising. Any charged
object that is either positively charged or negatively charged will have an attractive interaction with a
neutral object. Positively charged objects and neutral objects attract each other, and negatively charged
objects and neutral objects attract each other.

2. A Van de Graaff generator is an electrostatic generator which uses a moving belt to

accumulate electric charge on a hollow metal globe on the top of an insulated column, creating very
high electric potentials. It produces very high voltage direct current (DC) electricity at low current levels.
It was invented by American physicist Robert J. Van de Graaff in 1929. The potential difference achieved
by modern Van de Graaff generators can be as much as 5 megavolts. A tabletop version can produce on
the order of 100,000 volts and can store enough energy to produce a visible spark. Small Van de Graaff
machines are produced for entertainment, and for physics education to teach electrostatics; larger ones
are displayed in some science museums.

3. Static electricity is the build up of an electrical charge on the surface of an object. It's called "static"
because the charges remain in one area rather than moving or "flowing" to another area. Static
electricity has several uses, also called applications, in the real world. One main use is in printers and
photocopiers where static electric charges attract the ink, or toner, to the paper. Other uses include
paint sprayers, air filters, and dust removal.

4. Already in the stone age our ancestors were fascinated by the mysterious phenomenon of static
electricity. Thales from Miletos (mathematician) described about 600 years B.C. how the material amber
could become ”animated” and attract dust and down. In 1600, William Gilbert, English physician and
physicist, published his famous work ”De magnete” the first scientific treatment of magnetic and electric
phenomena, pointing out their different character. He also postulated that earth is a great magnet. In
the 19th century it had become clear that electricity and magnetism were related, and their theories
were unified: wherever charges are in motion electric current results, and magnetism is due to electric
current. The source for electric field is electric charge, whereas that for magnetic field is electric
current (charges in motion).