ELECTROSTATIC OR STATIC ELECTRICITY

This is the study of electricity due to non-moving charges or charges at rest

TYPES OF CHARGES

The two types of charges are positive charge (+) and negative charge (-).

Note:

 A neutral object have equal number of positive charges (+) and negative charges (-).

 A positively charged object has more positive charges (+) and few negative charges (-).

 a negatively charged object has more negative charges (-) and few positive charges (+).

LAWS OF ELECTROSTATICS

 Likes charges repel each other.

 Unlike charges attract each other.

Examples

1. Fig.1.1 shows a charged polythene rod brought close to another charged polythene rod suspended
from nylon thread.

Fig.1.1
(i) What is seen to happen to the suspended rod?

Suspended rod moves away

…………………………………………………………………………………………[1]
(ii) Explain why this happens?

Repulsion of negative charges in both rod

………………………………………………………………………………………...…[1]

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 2. Fig. 2.1 shows a plastic rod AB after being rubbed with a cloth. The rod becomes negatively
charged.

Fig. 2.1

(a) Use the words below to complete the sentences.

Positively, negatively, poor, good, gains, loses
loses
(i) The cloth _______________ negatively
electrons and become ____________________ charged.
poor
(ii) The plastic rod retains the charges at the end B because the rod is a _________________
conductor of electricity. [3]

(b) Fig. 2.2 shows another rod R being brought near freely suspended rod AB.
The end B starts to move away.

Fig. 2.2

(i) What charge does rod R have?

negative
____________________________________________________________

(ii) Give reason for your answer.

Repulsion of like charges
_________________________________________________________ [2]

THE PHENOMENON OF ELECTROSTATIC INDUCTION

This is introduction of electric charges in to a neutral object (i.e. charging a neutral object)

METHODS OF ELECTROSTATIC CHARGING

The two methods of electrostatic charging are:

 rubbing method ( or charging by friction)

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  induction method

1. RUBBING METHOD ( OR CHARGING BY FRICTION)

This is mainly used for charging insulators or poor conductors of electricity.

When an object is rubbed with the other one both objects become charged.

i. Rubbing a cellulose acetate rod with a woollen cloth

Negatively charged
woollen cloth Positively charged woollen cloth
cellulose acetate rod cellulose acetate rod
Before rubbing After rubbing
When a cellulose acetate rod is rubbed with a woollen cloth:
 Cellulose acetate rod becomes positively charged by losing negative charges to
the cloth.
 Woollen cloth becomes negatively charged by gaining the negative charges from
the cellulose acetate rod.
ii. Rubbing a polythene rod with a woollen cloth

positively charged
woollen cloth negatively charged woollen cloth
polythene rod polythene rod
Before rubbing After rubbing

When a polythene rod is rubbed with a woollen cloth:

 Polythene rod becomes negatively charged by gaining the negative charges from
the cloth.
 Woollen cloth becomes positively charged by losing negative charges to the
polythene rod.

2. INDUCTION METHOD

This is charging a neutral object by bringing a charged object near it.

This is mainly used for charging good conductors of electricity.
(a) BRINGING A POSITIVELY CHARGED ROD NEAR A NEUTRAL SPHERE
(i) Firstly a positively charged rod is brought near a neutral sphere. The negative charges inside
the sphere are attracted to side closer to the rod and the positive charges are repelled to the far
side.

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 (ii) Then the earth wire is connected to the sphere. The negative charges flow from the ground
through the earth wire to the sphere
(iii) Lastly both rod and earth wire are removed. The negative charges will be redistributed in the
sphere
(iv) The sphere becomes negatively charged.

positively charged positively charged

rod (i) rod (ii)

negatively charged positively charged earth

sphere
(iv) rod (iii)

(b) BRINGING A NEGATIVELY CHARGED ROD NEAR A NEUTRAL SPHERE

(i) Firstly a negatively charged rod is brought near a neutral sphere.
The positive charges inside the sphere are attracted to side closer to the rod and the negative
charges are repelled to the far side.
(ii) Then the earth wire is connected to the sphere
The negative charges flow from the sphere through the earth wire to the ground.
(iii) Lastly both rod and earth wire are removed
The positive charges will be redistributed in the sphere
(iv) The sphere becomes positively charged.

negatively charged nagatively charged rod

rod (i) (ii)

positively charged sphere negatively charged rod earth wire

(iv) (iii)
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(c) BRINGING A NEGATIVELY CHARGED ROD CLOSER TO TWO NEARBY
NEUTRAL SPHERES
(i) Firstly a negatively charged rod is brought near a neutral sphere.
(ii) The charges inside both spheres are separated such as positive charges are attracted to sides
closer to the rod and the negative charges are repelled to the far sides.
(iii) Then the earth wire is connected to the sphere Y.
(iv) The negative charges flow from the sphere Y through the earth wire to the ground.
(v) Lastly both rod and earth wire are removed
The positive charges will be redistributed in the sphere. The spheres become positively
charged and repel each other. X Y X Y

Negatively charged rod ( Negatively charged rod (

Y
X Y X Y X

Negatively charged earth Negatively charged earth wire

( ( rod (
rod

(d) BRINGING A POSITIVELY CHARGED ROD CLOSER TO TWO NEARBY NEUTRAL

SPHERES
(i) Firstly a positively charged rod is brought near a neutral sphere.
(ii) The charges inside both spheres are separated such as negative charges are attracted to sides
closer to the rod and the positive charges are repelled to the far sides.
(iii) The negative charges in sphere Y flows into sphere X and cancel out with positive charges in
the sphere X.
(iv) Then the earth wire is connected to the sphere Y.
The negative charges flow from the ground through the earth wire to the sphere Y.
(v) The positive charges in sphere Y cancel out with incoming negative charges.
(vi) Lastly both rod and earth wire are removed
The negative charges will be redistributed in both spheres. Hence both spheres become
negatively charged and repel each other.

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 X Y X Y X Y

positively charged rod positively charged rod (b) positively charged (c)
(a)
rod

X Y X Y

Separated spheres X Y positively charged rod

earth wire
(f) (d
)

positively
charged rod earth wire
(e)

ELECTROSTATICS INDUCTION EXPLAINS WHY?

 A charged balloon sticks on the wall for sometimes

 A window rubbed with a cloth soon attracts dust particles
 Pen or plastic ruler rubbed with a dry cloth soon attracts small pieces of papers.

ELECTRIC FIELD

This is the region around an electric charge where electric force is experienced. The electric field can be
represented by electric field lines or lines of electric force.

Note: The closeness of the electric field lines represent the strength of the electric force i.e.

The closer the field lines the stronger the electric force and vice versa.

a) ELECTRIC FIELD AROUND A POINT CHARGE

Fig. a)i. Point positive charge Fig. a) ii. Point negative charge

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b) ELECTRIC FIELD FOR TWO NEARBY UNLIKE CHARGES

c) ELECTRIC FIELD FOR TWO NEARBY LIKE CHARGES

Neutral point Neutral point

X X

Fig. b) i. Two point Fig. b) ii. Two point

positive charges negative charges
Neutral point: is point where the electric field lines cancel out each other. It is also referred to as
point where the resultant electric force is zero.

d) ELECTRIC FIELD BETWEEN TWO PARALLEL PLATES WITH UNLIKE CHARGES

The electric field between a pair of parallel plates is uniform.

Fig. d) i. stronger Fig. d) ii. Weaker electric

electric field field

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Examples

1. (a) What is meant by electric field?

Region around charge where electric force can be detected

…………………………………………………………………………………………………....[1]
(b) Fig. 1.1 shows two parallel plates with opposite charges.

Fig. 1.1

On Fig. 1.1 draw the field lines between the plates. [2]

DISCHARGING

This is known as neutralization. This is a process of changing a charged object into a neutral object so
that it has equal number of positive and negative charges. This can also be described as the balancing-out
of charges in a body. This can be done as follows:

1. BY TOUCHING A CHARGED OBJECT WITH A FINGER

When a charged object is touched with a finger:
a) FOR POSITIVELY CHARGED OBJECT :
The negative charges flows from the earth through the finger towards the charged object to
neutralize the object.
b) FOR NEGATIVELY CHARGED OBJECT:
Excess negative charges flows from the charged object through the finger towards the earth to
neutralize the object.
2. BY CONNECTING AN EARTH WIRE TO A CHARGED OBJECT.
When an earth wire is connected to a charged object
a) FOR POSITIVELY CHARGED OBJECT :
The negative charges flows from the earth through the earth wire towards the charged object to
neutralize the object.
b) FOR NEGATIVELY CHARGED OBJECT:
Excess negative charges flows from the charged object through the earth wire towards the earth to
neutralize the object.

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 DISCHARGING A POSITIVELY CHARGED SPHERE

A positively charged sphere is discharged by touching sphere with a finger, the negative charges
flows from the ground through the finger to the sphere.

DISCHARGING A NEGATIVELY CHARGED SPHERE

A negatively charged sphere is discharged by touching sphere with a finger, excess negative charges
flows from the charged sphere through the earth wire towards the ground.

LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR

It is used to protect tall objects such as tall buildings from being stroke by lightning during thunderstorm.

It is consists of copper strip with one end fixed to a metal plate buried in the ground. The other end is
attached to sharp spikes above the rooftop as shown below.
Sharp spikes

Copper strip

ground

Metal plate

Spikes attract the negative charges from the clouds.

Copper strip conducts the negative charges to the ground (copper is a good conductor of electricity).
Metal plate deposits the negative charges in to the ground (greater surface area for fast dissipation of
charges)

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 HOW DOES A LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR WORK?
clouds

Sharp spikes Sharp spikes Sharp spikes

Copper strip Copper strip Copper strip

ground ground ground

Metal plate Metal plate Metal plate

a) A negatively charged b) Negative charges in the cloud flash c) Very large current flows suddenly
cloud passes over a over from cloud to earth, ionizing the along the path created in the first flash.
building, induces positive air.
charges into the building
beneath it.

Examples

1. Fig 1.1 shows what happens as a cloud passes over a house during a thunderstorm.

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After the lightning had struck the conductor, there
Figis1.1
less negative charge in the cloud.

(a) Explain why there is less negative charge in the cloud.

Negative charges flows from cloud through conductor to the ground
………………………………………………………………………………………...…[1]

(b) The lightning conductor is made of copper. State two other important features in the
design of a lightning conductor.

1 spikes
……………………………………………………………………………………

2 metal plate
…………………………………………………………………………………..[2]

(c) On Fig 4.1 draw the electric field lines between the clouds and the ground in the region
labeled X. [1]

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