IB MYP 8 Science electricity unit

Lightning

an example of static electricity on a much larger scale in nature.

Static electricity

charge, typically produced by friction, which causes sparks or crackling or the attraction of dust or hair.

uncharged

state in which something isn’t charged by electricity.

charged

state in which something is charged by electricity.

Attraction

The object gets closer to another object because of differing electrical charges.

Repulsion

The object gets farther away from another object because of being the same electrical charge.

Electrical charge and magnetic charge

They are only the same concept, they are completely different and distinct things.

Coulombmeter

Digital meter that finds out whether a charged object has positive or negative charge

Otto van Guericke

One of the scientists that discovered static electricity

free electrons

electrons that reside in an atom’s valence shell as valence electrons and are easily plucked off and carried around, when ac ted upon by an ‘outside force’.

Describing static electricity material

We describe them similarly to how we describe heat transfers; conductors and insulators.

Conductor

they let electrons move freely throughout the solid.

Insulators

they hold to electrons tightly, limiting their flow.

wood

an example of a static electricity insulator

Negative charge

Too many electrons

positive charge

Too little electrons

Law of conservation of electric charge

It says that you can never create a net electric charge. Instead, charge can only move from one place to another.

Triboelectric effect

happens when rubbing two neutral objects and forming one positive charged object and one negatively charged object

humidity on static electricity

The extra water in the air makes the air more conductive, constantly leaking the buildup of electrical charge

Neutral objects

they have net zero charge

Thunderstorm formation

When warm, moist air rises high into the atmosphere

updraft

vocabulary used for when warm, moist air rises high into the atmosphere

Cloud formation

when water vapour in the air cools into water drops called cloud droplets

cloud droplets freezing

They freeze into ice crystals

graupel formation

when cloud droplets and ice crystals collide with each other

storm cloud electrical charge buildup

With the collision of graupel and ice crystals, they form electrical charges of positive and negative

cloud electricity locations

ice crystals with positive charges are located higher within the clouds due to updraft, meanwhile graupel with negative charges are within the nether regions.

lightning electrical discharge

When the cloud forces build up enough electrical charge, the discharge happens with the surface.

Cloud to ground lightning

lightning often connects the negative charge of the clouds with the positive charge of the ground

lightning hitting tall structures

They are the closest to the clouds high up in the skies

Intracloud lightning

when lightning from a negative charge goes to a positively charged cloud

Friction significance

it separates the positive and negative charges that lead to static electricity.

friction electrons

it transfers a valence electron from one atom to the another

electron nucleus attraction

the electron is attracted to the nucleus because of the opposite charges.

electron weakening attraction

Valence electrons lose their attractiveness to an atom the farther away the valence shell is from the nucleus.

neutral attraction explanation

They are attracted because of the mere presence of electrons and protons

everything electric

everything is electric

static electricity imbalance

it is the imbalance of positive and negative charges

difference in materials holding electrons

materials have different attractions with their valence electrons

Difference in materials holding electrons example

silk holds their electrons more tightly than glass

More friction more power

the more the object is interacted through friction (rubbing), the more powerful the charge.