-1-

Static Electricity

PHYSICS
5054
LESSON NOTES

STATIC ELECTRICITY
(CHAPTER 18)

Mrs. Sakunika Perera

 -2-
Static Electricity

Static Electricity
Static electricity is an imbalance of electric 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.
Types of Charges

Name Sign of Charge Size of the charge

Electron Negative (-) 1

Proton Positive (+) 1

Uncharged Objects
Number of electrons and protons in the object are equal. No resultant charge. They
are also called neutral objects.

Charged Objects
Number of electrons and protons in the object are NOT equal. There is a resultant
charge.

Negatively Charged Objects – Object gains electrons. So it has more electrons

than protons.

Positively Charged Objects – Object loses electrons. So it has more protons than
electrons.

Laws of Static Electricity

 Unlike Charges Attract

 Like Charges Repel

Electric Field
It is a region in which a point charge experiences an electric force.
 -3-
Static Electricity

Electric Field Patterns

Isolated Charges

Point charges

Unlike Charges
 -4-
Static Electricity

Like Charges

Electrical Conductors and Insulators

Conductors – free electrons are there so current can flow freely
Eg. Metals, carbon are good conductors;
Water, human body and earth are poor conductors

Insulators – no free electrons are there so extremely high resistance to the flow of
charge through them.
Eg. Wood, plastic, glass

Charging Objects By Friction

 Insulators are given charges by this method.

 Two insulators are rubbed together. One object gains electrons and the other
object loses electrons.
 -5-
Static Electricity

Charging Objects By Induction

When a charged object is brought closer to an uncharged object, the charges in the
uncharged object separate. This is called electrical induction.
electrons are attracted by the rod.
Uncharged + - so they move towards the left end
metal sphere - leaving the right end more
+ + charged rod positively charged.
- (+ charged)

insulated stand

the rod and the left end of the sphere are having opposite charges.
so they attract.
Charging Two Metal Spheres that are in Contact
A B

A and b are two metal spheres,kept in contact

A B

The positively charged rod attract electrons so some electrons

move from B to A as they are now in contact.

here, A gained extra electrons and B lost electrons

A B

Separate the two spheres, so the electrons cannot move back

when the rod is removed.

A B

Remove the rod.

The spheres experience attraction when thy are still kept close
by
so the charges distribute as shown in the diagram.

A B

The charge distributionn when the spheres are

kept far a part.
 -6-
Static Electricity

Earthing

 Connecting a charged object

with the ground using a
conductor is called earthing.

 Electrons are either gained

from the ground or sent to the
ground to neutralize the
excess charge on the object.

Charging Objects by Induction and Earthing

A Positively charged rod is kept next to the uncharged metal sphere.

so the charges in the sphere separate.

NOTE: as the left end of the sphere is atrracted to the rod,

the charge in the right end behave as excess charge.

no charge is shown here as that side is neutral

The sphere is earthed. so some electrons move from the

earth to the sphere to neutralize th eexcess charge.

NOTE: the sphere has gained electrons.

Remove the earth connection

Remove the rod

 -7-
Static Electricity

Problems of Static Electricity- Lightning

Uses of Static Electricity

 Electrostatic Precipitator
 -8-
Static Electricity
 Photocopier

 Paint Spray

-END-