Electric Charge and

Static Electricity
 Electric Charge
 Electric charge is a property that causes
subatomic particles (protons and electrons) to
attract or repel each other.

 There are two types of electric charge:

 Positive (proton)

 Negative (electron)
 Electric Charge
 An atom is neutral with a positive nucleus and
is surrounded by a negatively charged cloud of
electrons.

 An excess or shortage of electrons produces a

net electric charge (ion).
Recap of the Atom
 Electric Forces
 Like charges repel, and opposite charges
attract, this is the law of electric charge.

 The attraction or repulsion between

electrically charged objects is electric force.
 Electric Forces
 The electric force between two objects is
directly proportional to the net charge of each
object.

 Electric force decreases as the distance

between two objects increases.
 Electric Fields
 The effect an electric charge has on other
charges in the space around it is the charge’s
electric field.

 The strength of an electric field depends on the

amount of charge that produces the field and
on the distance from the charge.
Field of a Positive and Negative
Charge
 Static Electricity and Charging
 Static electricity is the electric charge which
builds up on an object (thus it is not moving
and is considered ‘static’).
 This charge can be formed by friction, contact
(conduction), and induction.
 The static charge will eventually move on to
another object. This is called electric
discharge.
 Static Electricity and Charging
 Charges are neither created nor destroyed in
the forming of static electricity simply
transferred by one of the methods mentioned –
friction, conduction or induction.
 Charging by Friction

 Rubbing two objects together causes friction,

which causes a transfer of electrons.
 Charging by Conduction

 Whenever two objects touch and one of the

objects has an electric charge and this charge
is transferred or conducted.
 Charging by Induction
 A transfer of charge without contact between
materials.

 Charge moves from a charged object to

another object through the influence of the
first objects electrical field. No charge is
actually transferred, the charges within the
second object simply rearrange.
 Static Discharge
 Static discharge occurs suddenly when a
pathway for a charged release occurs.

 Charges will not travel through air from your

hand to the doorknob. The air itself becomes
charged suddenly when the gap between your
finger and the doorknob is small. Charged air
then provides a path for electrons to flow from
your hand to the doorknob.
 Conductors/Insulators
 Electrical conductors are materials which
allow charges to move through them. Ex.
Metals, salt water, etc.

 Electrical insulators are materials which do not

allow charges to move through them. Ex.
Rubber, glass, wood, etc.