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ELECTROSTATICS [Static Electricity].

Static electricity refers to charge that is not moving i.e. stationary charge.
An insulator can be charged electrically by rubbing it while a conductor cannot.
Types Of Charge
 There are two types of charge. These are Positive [+] and Negative [-].
 The SI unit of charge is the Coulomb (C)
 Negative charge is acquired if excess electrons are gained and positive charge is gained if
electrons are lost.
NB: Positive charge arises as a result of a deficiency of electrons.
 All charges obey The Law Of Electric Charges which states that “like charges repel and
unlike charges attract”
 Electric charges can exist independent of each other.

Electrostatic Charging
Methods of electrostatic charging include (i) Charging through contact
(ii) Charging through induction
Charging Through Contact
When a polythene rod is rubbed with a cloth it becomes negatively charged. Electrons flow from
the piece of cloth into the polythene rod. As a result the cloth attains a positive charge.

On the other hand an acetate rod becomes positively charged when rubbed with a piece of cloth.
Electrons flow out of the acetate rod into the cloth which then becomes negatively charged.

The rods and cloths described above became charge through contact.

Charging through induction

Charging through induction can be achieved in two ways- by earthing as well as through
separation of charges.

NOTES: Static Electricity leemok productions 2011©

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Charging through separation of charge.

This can be illustrated by placing two metal spheres A and B next to each other so that they are
in contact.

A charged strip is then brought close to the metal spheres, but not touching them.

This causes a separation of charges in the two spheres. All negative charges are attracted from
sphere A to B.

On being separated, the two spheres are found to be ;

A- Positively charged
B- Negatively charged

NOTES: Static Electricity leemok productions 2011©

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Charging through earthing

A charged strip is brought close to a neutrally charged metal sphere. See (a) below.
This causes a separation of charge within the sphere itself. See (b) below.

Earthing the sphere causes the negative charge to be repelled by the strip to the ground. See (c)
above.
This leaves the sphere with a net positive charge. See (d )above.

Detecting Charge
Charge can be detected through the use of a Gold Leaf Electroscope.

When a charged object is brought close to the metal cap, the gold leaf deflects upwards. This
happens because both the stem and the leaf have the same charge and as such repel each other.

To find out the nature of the charge on the object; the electroscope has to be charged first.i.e only
a charged electroscope can be used to detect the type of charge in an object.

NOTES: Static Electricity leemok productions 2011©

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Discharging
Discharging refers to the loss of excess charge.
It takes place through contact or ionization. Dangers of ionization are minimized by earthing.

Lightning Conductor
As clouds move overhead they gain a negative charge. When excess charge has been
accumulated in the cloud it is discharged to the ground through ionization. This is called
lightning. Lightning is dangerous and it’s effects can be minimized through the use of a
Lightning Conductor. A lightning conductor discharges a cloud before it discharges on its own.

The lightning conductor should be made from a good conductor of electricity and it should be
taller than the structure it is protecting. When clouds move through the sky they acquire a
negative charge. As they pass above the lightning conductor they induce a positive charge in the
spikes at the tip of the lightning conductor.

NOTES: Static Electricity leemok productions 2011©

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Since charge accumulates at sharp points, the positive charge at the tip of the spikes is large
enough to ionize the air molecules around them by attracting electrons from them. These
electrons are repelled down the lightning conductor to the ground.. The resulting positive ions
are attracted by the negatively charged cloud.

Thus an electric wind of positively charged particles moves from the spikes to the cloud where
they neutralize its negative charged.

Electric Fields
The electric field is a region in which a charged particle exerts its electric force. Electric fields
are illustrated with the help of electric field lines which begin at the positive charge and end at
the negative charge.

Field around single charges.

Field between simmilar charges.

Field between 2 unlike charges.

Field between 2 positively charged plates.

NOTES: Static Electricity leemok productions 2011©