Electrostatics - Static Electricity

  1. Electrostatics - Static Electricity

    • Electric charges generate electric fields around them.

    • The SI unit of electric charge is Coulomb.

    • Electrostatics deals with the phenomena due to attractions or repulstions of electric charges. It involves the buildup of charge in the surface of objects due to contact with other surface..

    • Since classical antiquity, it has been known that some materials such as amber atteact lightweight particles after rubbing. The greek word for amber is electron, and that was the source of the word “electricity”.

    • DC current: undirectional flow of electric charge

    • AC current: the flow of electrons changes direction periodically.

    • There are many examples of electrostatic phenomena:

      • The attraction of the plastic wrap to your hand after you remove it from a package.

      • The attraction of paper to a charged scale

      • Photocopier and laser printer operation

      • Lighting rod: A lightning rod guides lightning to the ground, protecting structures by attracting the strike with a concentrated electric field.