© boardworks ltd 2005 1 of 45 ks4 physics static electricity

© Boardworks Ltd 20051 of 45

KS4 Physics

Static Electricity


Static Electricity

Static charge

Forces between charges

Electrolysis

Summary activities

Uses of static electricity

Contents


What is static electricity?

What do these things have in common?

Crackles when combing hair. Cling film sticking to your hands. Clothes clinging to each other

in a dryer. Getting a shock when rubbing

your feet on a carpet. Lightning.

They are all caused by static electricity.

Static electricity is due to electric charge that builds up on the surface of an insulator.

The charge that has built up cannot easily flow away from the insulator, which is why it is called static electricity.


Meet the amazing American scientist Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), who was also a printer, librarian, journalist, inventor, and statesman – he even helped to write the American constitution.

Franklin was fascinated by electricity and introduced the terms ‘positive’ and ‘negative’.

He noticed the similarity between lightning and the sparks made with a Leyden jar and wanted to prove that they were the same.

Benjamin Franklin and static electricity


One stormy night in 1752, Franklin carried out his famous kite experiment to prove that lightning is a form of electricity.

He used a silk kite with a metal wire at the tip and a metal key attached to the string.

When the kite was in a thunder cloud, Franklin noticed parts of the string standing up like hair does due to static electricity.

Franklin touched the key and there was a spark! It was an extremely dangerous thing to do and he was lucky to survive!



Franklin also attached a Leyden jar to his kite. The storm clouds charged the jarin the same way as static electricity.

We now know that lightning is due to the build up of static charge in storm clouds.

Franklin had proved his theory that lightning is a form of electricity. He used his experiments to invent the lightning conductor – a metal rod to protect buildings and ships from lightning damage.



Where does static charge come from?

All materials are made of atoms, which contain electric charges.

Around the outside of an atom are electrons, which have a negative charge.

The nucleus at the centre of an atom contains protons which have a positive charge.

An atom has equal amounts of negative and positive charges which cancel each other out. This means an atom has no overall charge.

Electrons do not always stay attached to atoms and can sometimes be removed by rubbing.

electron (negative charge)

proton (positive charge)


Where does static charge come from?

Static charge can build up when two materials are rubbed together, such as a plastic comb moving through hair.

When this happens electrons are transferred from one material to the other:

One material ends up with more electrons, so it now has an overall negative charge.

One material ends up with fewer electrons, so it now has an overall positive charge.


An insulating material can be charged by friction.

For example, if an insulator is rubbed with a cloth, it can become charged in one of two ways:

What is the name of the force between two materials that are rubbed together?

friction

Creating static charge

A. Electrons move from the cloth to the insulator.

B. Electrons move from the insulator to the cloth.


Charging a polythene rod


If an insulator made of polythene is rubbed with a cloth, electrons move from the cloth to the insulator.

The cloth is positively charged.

The insulator is negatively charged.

What charge does the cloth now have?

What charge does the polythene insulator now have?

Charging polythene


Charging an acetate rod


If an insulator made of acetate is rubbed with a cloth, electrons move from the insulator to the cloth.

Charging acetate

The cloth is negatively charged.

The insulator is positively charged.

What charge does the cloth now have?

What charge does the polythene insulator now have?


Static charge – true or false?


Static Electricity

Static charge


Electrolysis

Summary activities


Contents


How do pairs of charges behave?


Pairs of charges – attract or repel?


Identifying an unknown charge

If the unknown charge is brought near to a positively charged rod and it is attracted to this rod, then the unknown charge must be ________.

If the unknown charge is brought near to a positively charged rod and it is repelled by this rod, then the unknown charge must be ________.

negative

positive

?

If a rod has an unknown charge, how can the unknown charge be identified using a positively charged rod?


Identifying an unknown charge

If the unknown charge is brought near to a negatively charged rod and it is attracted to this rod, then the unknown charge must be ________.

If the unknown charge is brought near to a negatively charged rod and it is repelled by this rod, then the unknown charge must be ________.

positive

negative

?

If a rod has an unknown charge, how can the unknown charge be identified using a negatively charged rod?


+ - + - + -

+ - + - + -

+ - + - + -

If a negatively charged rod is brought near to a piece of paper, the paper sticks to the rod.

The paper is uncharged (equal amounts of + and -), so why does it stick to the rod?

As the negatively charged rod approaches the paper, the electrons in the paper are repelled away from the rod.

This makes one side of the paper positive and one side negative. A charge has been induced on the paper and the positive side of the paper is attracted to the negative rod.

Inducing a temporary charge


+ - + - + -

+ - + - + -

+ - + - + -

If a positively charged rod is brought near to a piece of paper, the paper sticks to the rod.

The paper is uncharged (equal amounts of + and -), so why does it stick to the rod?

As the positively charged rod approaches the paper, the electrons in the paper are attracted towards the rod.

This makes one side of the paper negative and one side positive. A charge has been induced on the paper and the negative side of the paper is attracted to the positive rod.

Inducing a temporary charge


Static Electricity

Static charge


Electrolysis

Summary activities


Contents


Static electricity can be dangerous but it can also be useful, as long as it is used carefully.

Examples of uses of static electricity are:

1. ___________________

2. ___________________

3. ___________________

4. ___________________

Photocopiers

Printers

Spray painting

Pollutant removers



How does a photocopier work?


Photocopier activity


An electrostatic paint spray

The nozzle of the paint gun is connected to one terminal of an electrostatic generator.

The other terminal is connected to the metal panel, which is earthed.

--

--- -- -

-

Paint gun nozzle has a positive charge.

Car is negatively charged.

+

electrostatic generator

Static electricity can be used to spray a car with paint:

- --

- -

-


An electrostatic paint spray

The spray gun is designed to produce tiny charged droplets of paint.

As a result the charged droplets are attracted to the car body panel. This gives a uniform coating of paint.

Also, the droplets travel along the lines of force of the electrostatic field to reach hidden parts of the panel.

--

Paint gun nozzle has a positive charge.

Car is negatively charged.

electrostatic generator

--

---- -

-- --

- -

-+ + +

++


Static electricity can be used to reduce pollution in the chimney of a power station.

Smoke precipitator to reduce pollution

chimney wall

earthed metal plate

very high voltage on metal grid

dirtysmoke

Dirty smoke particles become charged in the electric field. These charged particles are attracted to the earthed metal plates where they lose their charge and then fall back down the chimney.

The result is clean smoke out of the top of the chimney.

A metal grid at a very high voltage runs down the middle of the chimney.

Earthed metal plates run down the inside of the chimney.


Dangers of static charge

Filling fuel, rollers for paper and grain shoots are situations where charge can be a problem.

Static can build up as the fuel flows along the pipe or paper rolls over rollers or grain shoots out of tubes.

This can easily lead to a spark and then an explosion.

To prevent this happening, the nozzles or rollers are made out of metal so any charge build up is conducted away.

Large petrol tankers always have earthing straps between the tanker and the storage tank to prevent the risk of sparks.


underground tank or aeroplane tank

nozzle from tanker

What prevents the build up of large static charges that could cause an explosion?

electrical link

Transferring flammable fuels


Static Electricity

Static charge


Electrolysis

Summary activities


Contents


Cu2+

Cu2+Cu2+

Anode is made of impure copper and this dissolves.

The cathode starts as a thin piece of pure copper.More copper is deposited.

sludge (impurities)

copper sulfate solutionelectrolyte

Anode

Cathode

Cu2+Cu2+Cu2+Cu2+Cu2+Cu2+

cathode

anode

How is electrolysis used?


Changing the rate of electrolysis


The relationship between charge, current and time is shown by the equation:

Charge is measured in coulombs (C).

Current is measured in amps (A).

Time is measured in seconds (s).

Charge, current and time

charge = current x time

Q = I x t

What are the units of charge, current and time?


Q

I t

x

A formula triangle helps you to rearrange a formula. The formula triangle for Q = It is shown below.

Whatever quantity you are trying to find, cover it up and this will leave the formula required.

So if you are trying to find current (I)...

…cover up I…

…which gives the formula…

Q = It formula triangle

I = Qt


charge = current x time

= 6 A x (3 x 60) s

= 1080 C

TOP TIP:Always remember to convert time into seconds!

A current of 6 A flows for 3 minutes. How much charge flows in that time?

Using Q = It


Energy, charge and voltage

The relationship between energy, charge and potential difference (or voltage) is shown by the equation:

energy = charge x voltage

E = Q x V

What are the units of energy, charge and voltage?

Energy is measured in joules (J).

Charge is measured in coulombs (C).

Voltage measured in volts (V).


E

Q V

x

A formula triangle helps you to rearrange a formula. The formula triangle for E = QV is shown below.

Whatever quantity you are trying to find, cover it up and this will leave the formula required.

So if you are trying to find charge (Q)...

…cover up Q…

…which gives the formula…

E = QV formula triangle

Q =

EV


Using the E = QV formula triangle


energy = charge x voltage

= 100 C x 5 V

= 500 J

TOP TIP: In exams, you must always give the units. If you do not, you will lose a mark!

What is 500 J in kJ? 0.5 kJ

A charge of 100 C is delivered at a potential difference of 5 V. How much energy is delivered?

Using E = QV


Charge calculations


Static Electricity

Static charge


Electrolysis

Summary activities


Contents


attraction – The force between two oppositely charged objects which pulls them together.

earthing – Electrically connecting an object to the Earth to prevent charge building up.

induced charge – A temporary charge that forms on a neutral object because it is near a charged object.

repulsion – The force between two objects with thesame charge which pushes them apart.

static charge – A charge that builds up on an object but is not moving.

Glossary


Anagrams


Multiple-choice quiz

© boardworks ltd 2005 1 of 45 ks4 physics static electricity

Documents