Static Electricity Quiz

1. What is static electricity? Give some examples.

Static electricity refers to the fact that objects can become charged when electrons move from one object to another. Static electric charge is the build up of charge on the surface of an object. One example would be walking across a carpet and a spark being created between your hand and a doorknob. (Other examples are possible)


2. What does it mean for the charges to be “static”? 

That the charges remain almost stationary on the surface of the object until they are given a path to escape.


3. What is electron transfer ? 

When electrons move from one object to another, or from one end of a conductor to the other end.


4. What is friction? What role does it play in electron transfer? 

Friction occurs when 2 objects are rubbed together. The force of friction can remove electrons from 1 object and transfer them to the other. (note - no electrons are lost in this process, just transferred from one area to another)


5. What is electron affinity? What role does it play in electron transfer? 

Electron affinity refers to an object’s ability to hold on to electrons. That is, objects with HIGH electron affinity are more likely to keep their electrons, and even gather more from other objects. Objects with LOW electron affinity are more likely to lose their electrons.


6. What is the triboelectric series chart? 

A list of materials according to their electron affinity - objects higher on the list have low electron affinity, giving them the tendency to become positively charged after losing electrons. Objects lower in the list have high electron affinity, giving them the tendency to become negatively charged as they pick up electrons from other objects.


7. What do the Laws of Attraction and Repulsion state? Particles with opposite charges attract each other. Particles with like charges repel each other. Neutral objects are attracted to charged objects, whether they be positive or negative.

8. What is the difference between an insulator, conductor and a fair conductor? Give an example. Insulators are materials that hold onto their electrons and don’t allow them to easily move. Examples: Rubber, wood, plastics. Conductors are materials that allow for the easy transfer of electrons. Examples: Copper, aluminum, iron. Fair conductors allow less movement of electrons than conductors, but more than insulators. Examples: Water containing dissolved minerals, moist air, soil, the human body.

9. How is lightning created? Why is it an example of static electricity? Negative charges build up at the base of a cloud. This creates a positive charge on the ground due to induction. When enough charge has built up, negative “stepped leaders” move down from the cloud, and positive “streamers” move up from the ground. When these 2 connect, excess electrons are discharged to the ground, creating a huge spark known as lightning. It is an example of static electricity because a spark is created through the process of induction.

10. Facts about lightning: About 10 million strikes per day on Earth. 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun at 50 000 degrees fahrenheit (20 000 degrees celsius). Airplanes are struck once per year on average. (Many other examples from the “Raging Planet” worksheet are possible).

11. What is an electroscope? An instrument that can be used to detect static electric charge.

12. What happens when a negative object is brought near an electroscope. Electrons move from the top of the electroscope, down into the leaves due to repulsion. The leaves now have an abundance of negative charges and will repel each other and spread apart.

13. What happens when a positive object is brought near an electroscope? Electrons in the electroscope will be attracted to the positive object. This leaves an abundance of positives in the leaves, causing them to repel and spread apart.

14. How can an electroscope be charged negatively by contact? By touching a negatively charged object to the top of the electroscope, electrons will transfer from the object into the electroscope. The electroscope now has an abundance of electrons and the leaves will spread apart, indicating a negative charge in this case.

15. How can an electroscope be charged positively by contact? By touching a positively charged object to the top of the electroscope, electrons will transfer from the electroscope into the object. The electroscope now has an abundance of protons and the leaves will spread apart, indicating a positive charge in this case.

16. How can an electroscope be charged negatively by induction? When you bring a positively charged object nearby, electrons will be attracted up from the leaves. When you touch the electroscope with your hand, electrons will transfer from your hand into the electroscope. When you remove your hand and the object, the electroscope has an abundance of electrons and the leaves will spread, indicating a negative charge in this case.

17. How can an electroscope be charged positively by induction? When you bring a negatively charged object nearby, electrons will be repelled down into the leaves. When you touch the object with your hand, electrons will transfer from the electroscope into your hand. When you remove your hand and the object, the electroscope has an abundance of protons and the leaves will spread, indicating a positive charge in this case.

18. What is electric discharge? When static electric charges are transferred from one area to another. Sparks are an example of electric discharge.

19. How does a Van de Graaff generator work? It creates charge through friction between the roller and the belt and then transfers that charge to the metal sphere at the top. The charge collector (comb at top of belt) causes electrons to accumulate on the sphere.

20. What are ways to detect static electric charge? When objects are attracted to each other (ex. Dust to a TV screen). Using an electroscope. The occurrence of sparks. A fluorescent light bulb lighting up.

21. What products exist to protect people and equipment from static electric charges? Lightning rods, grounding straps on cars and trucks, static discharge rods on planes, antistatic wrist straps, metal fibres in carpet, dryer sheets.

22. 

Positive Positive Repel


Negative Positive Attract


Neutral Neutral Nothing happens






Vocabulary - Be able to define the following terms:

Electron - A small, negatively charged particle found outside the nucleus of an atom

Static Electrical Energy - An electric charge that builds up on the surface of an object

Friction - Action of rubbing 2 objects together

Conductor - A material that allows electrons to change position

Electrical Discharge - A process in which electric charges are transferred very quickly

Electroscope - A device used to detect static electric charge

Insulator - A material that holds onto electrons and doesn’t allow them to move easily

Electron Affinity - The ability of a substance to hold onto its electrons

Van de Graaff Generator - A device that creates static electric charge

Triboelectric Series - Organization of objects based on their ability to hold onto electrons

Information to Remember:

  • Items near the top of the triboelectric series become positively charged. Items near the bottom become negatively charged

  • The air that makes up our atmosphere is an insulator

  • If your hair stands on end, it is because all the strands of your hair have taken on the same charge and are repelling each other

  • When a balloon is rubbed on someone’s hair, a good way to describe the balloon would be to say that it is now statically charged