Static electricity

Current electricity –

Current electricity can be used by people.

when electrons flow through a circuit.

There are two categories (types) of electricity:

There are two categories (types) of electricity:

Current electricity –

Current electricity can be used by people.

when electrons flow through a circuit.

There are two categories (types) of electricity:

Static electricity – when electrons build up on an

insulator (rubber, clothing, non-metals) causing an imbalance.The “charge” of static electricity is sometimes discharged (balanced) by a spark.

This type of electricity is not used much by people, but can be fun (and sometimes dangerous).

Static electricity

Static electricity

Everything is made of tiny particles called atoms.

Atoms have positively (+) charged protons in the middle

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Atoms have positively (+) charged protons in the middle and negatively charged electrons (-) orbiting quickly

around them.

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+

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Protons always stay with their atom, but electrons sometimes move to different atoms. Traveling electrons are what we know as electricity.

When more negatively charged electrons are on an object it has a negative charge.

If electrons have been taken away, the object will be have a positive charge because it is out of balance toward the positive protons.

Your body is an object that can become unbalanced with a negatively charge when you shuffle your shoes on a carpet.

The spark that jumps from your hand to the doorknob balances your static charge. You have to walk on the carpet some more to get another spark.

Two objects with static charges can attract or repel each other much like magnets.

If the charges are the same (both positive or both negative) the objects will repel just like magnets. If the charges are different, they attract. (Opposites attract)

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Different charges attract

Charges that are the same repel each other.

The reason this hair looks so funny is because each hair has the same static charge. Each hair is repelling all the others.