Examples of Static Electricity Flashcards
All 6 cards in this deck
Why can you get an electric shock when you touch a metal car door after getting out of a car?
Friction between your clothes and the seat transfers electrons, leaving you charged; touching the metal lets electrons move suddenly, giving a shock.
True or false? Static charge builds up on insulators because the charge cannot flow away through them.
True. Insulators do not conduct, so transferred electrons stay where they are.
How does a thundercloud become charged?
Ice and water particles rub together inside the cloud and transfer electrons, so the base of the cloud becomes negatively charged.
In terms of electrons, what is a lightning strike?
A discharge — the charge becomes large enough for electrons to jump from the cloud base to earth through the ionised air.
What are the steps to explain attraction by induction?
e.g. a positively charged comb picking up small pieces of paper- The charge on the comb attracts electrons in the paper towards it.
- A negative charge is induced on the part of the paper nearest the comb.
- Opposite charges attract, so the paper is pulled up to the comb.
True or false? A charged balloon can only stick to a wall if the wall is also charged.
False. The wall is uncharged; the balloon induces an opposite charge on its surface, so they attract.