electrostatics

Electrostatics

The study of all phenomena associated with electric charges at rest

amber

Hardened sticky resin that attracts cloth when rubbed

De Magnete

Book in which Gilbert coined the word “electricus”

Elektron (amber)

Greek word that is the origin of electricity, electric, and electron

-ity

Suffix meaning “state of” or “quality of” found in the term electricity

Electricity

Form of energy from movement of electric charges through a conductor

Conductors

Materials that allow flow of electric charges and have high conductivity

Conductivity

Measure of ease with which electric charge moves through a material

Insulators

Materials that resist flow of charges and have low conductivity

Neutron

Subatomic particle with no charge because it is neutral

Static electricity

Type of electricity described as electric charges at rest caused by electron imbalance

Spark or shock

Event where electrons jump between objects when imbalance becomes large

Dynamic electricity

Type of electricity described as electricity in motion or electric current

Charging

Process by which an object gains or loses electrons, resulting in net charge

Charging by conduction

Charging method requiring physical contact between a charged and a neutral body that results in same type of charge

Charging by induction

Charging method occurring without physical contact that results in polarization

Charging by friction

Charging method that happens through rubbing

Electron affinity

Tendency of an atom to gain electrons

Triboelectric effect

Effect where rubbing two materials with different electron affinities causes electron transfer

Cling film and human hair

Example of triboelectric interaction where one object becomes negatively charged and the other positively charged

Triboelectric series

Ranking of materials based on their electron affinity

Number of electrons formula

Formula for number of electrons transferred (n = |q| / e)

1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ C

Constant representing the magnitude of electron charge used in electron transfer calculations

Change in mass formula

Formula used to calculate change in mass after electron transfer (Δm = n × mₑ)

9.109 × 10⁻³¹ kg

Mass of an electron used in change-of-mass computations