Static charges: Electricity

Charge

A property of matter that causes a non-contact force to be exerted when two charged objects are brought together

Two types of charge

Positive and negative

Like charges

Repel each other

Opposite charges

Attract each other

Charge on an atom

Atoms are neutral because they contain equal numbers of positively and negatively charged particles

Charge on a proton

A proton carries a positive charge (+1)

Charge on a neutron

A neutron carries no charge

Charge on an electron

An electron carries a negative charge (–1)

Ion

An atom (or molecule) with an overall electric charge due to losing or gaining one or more electrons

Positively charged ion

An atom (or molecule) that has lost one or more electron

Negatively charged ion

An atom (or molecule) that has gained one or more electron

Static electricity

A build up of electric charge on an insulated object due to friction or induction

Insulator

A material that does not allow charge or heat to easily pass through it

Charging by friction

When certain insulating materials are rubbed against each other and become electrically charged; negatively charged electrons are rubbed off one material and on to the other

How a material becomes negatively charged

It gains electrons

How a material becomes positively charged

It loses electrons