Physics

Electric Charge and Static
Electricity
STATIC ELECTRICITY
-Occurs when an object obtain a net

amount of positive or negative electric
charge, creating an imbalance that wants
to be returned to equilibrium.
Electric Charge
• A property that leads to the electromagnetic
(repelling or attracting) interactions between
particles of matter.
• All matter is made up of atoms and atoms have a
natural neutral charge.
• Atoms contain
1. Protons (+)
2. Neutrons (0)
3. Electrons (-)
Free Electron
Reside an atom’s outer shell as valence

electrons and are easily plucked off and
carried around, when acted upon by an
“outside force”
Note: How easy it is for electrons to move
around depends on the material, we describe
the materials the same for heat transfer
“Conductors and Insulators”
Conductors and Insulators
Materials that are conductors, like copper, let free
electrons move freely around throughout the solid
While,
Insulators, like wood, hold on to them tightly, limiting

their flow.
But what causes the electrons to move around?

Imbalance of electrons charge
When some part of an object has different number
of free electrons than another part.
NEGATIVELY CHARGE = TOO MANY ELECTRONS
POSITIVELY CHARGE = MISSING FREE ELECTRONS

Properties of Proton, Neutron, and Electron
Subatomic Particle Location Mass Charge
Proton Inside nucleus 1.673 × kg 1.6 × C
Neutron Inside nucleus 1.675 × kg 0
Electron Around nucleus 9.109 × kg -1.6 × C
The number of electrons in one negative coulomb of charge

e
1 e = 1.6 × C
Electric Force
• The force between two electrically

charged objects is an electric force.
• Like gravity, this is a non-contact force that works over a
distance.
• It is a force because it causes objects to move by pulling them
together (attracting) or pushing them apart (repelling).
The size of the electric force depends on 2 things:

1. The amount of charge (the greater the charge, the greater the force)
2. The distance between charges (the further the distance, the less the
force)
Law of Electric Charges
• The law of electric charges states that like

charges repel, and opposite charges attract.
• Protons are positively charged and

electrons are negatively charged, so they
are attracted to each other.
• Without this attraction, electrons would not

be held in atoms.
Charged Objects
How do objects get charged?
• They either gain or lose electrons.
Ex.
3 protons (+) & 5 electrons (-) =
7 protons (+) & 2 electrons (-) =
• There are 3 ways objects can be charged:

1. Friction
2. Conduction
3. Induction
**All are caused by electrons moving!
Friction
• Charging by friction occurs when electrons are “wiped”

from one object onto another.
Ex.
If you use a cloth to rub a plastic ruler, electrons move from
the cloth to the ruler.
The ruler gains electrons and the cloth loses electrons.
Conduction
• Charging by conduction happens when electrons move from

one object to another through direct contact (touching).
Ex. Suppose you touch an uncharged piece of metal with a

positively charged glass rod. Electrons from the metal will
move to the glass rod. The metal loses electrons and becomes
positively charged.
Induction
• Charging by induction happens when charges
in an uncharged object are rearranged without
direct contact (no touching) with a charged
object.
Ex.: If you charge up a balloon through friction and

place the balloon near pieces of paper, the charges
of the paper will be rearranged and the paper will
be attracted to the balloon.
Conservation of Charge
• When you charge something by any method, no

charges are created or destroyed.
• The numbers of electrons and protons stay the
same. Electrons simply move from one atom to
another, which makes areas that have different
charges.
• Static electricity is the
electric charge at rest
Static Electricity on an object.
• When something is
static, it is not moving.
• The charges of static
electricity do not move
away from the object
that they are in. So, the
object keeps its charge.
• Ex. Clothes taken out of

a dryer

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Electric Charge and Static

-Occurs when an object obtain a net

Reside an atom’s outer shell as valence

Insulators, like wood, hold on to them tightly, limiting

But what causes the electrons to move around?

NEGATIVELY CHARGE = TOO MANY ELECTRONS

POSITIVELY CHARGE = MISSING FREE ELECTRONS

Proton Inside nucleus 1.673 × kg 1.6 × C

Neutron Inside nucleus 1.675 × kg 0

Electron Around nucleus 9.109 × kg -1.6 × C

The number of electrons in one negative coulomb of charge

• The force between two electrically

The size of the electric force depends on 2 things:

• The law of electric charges states that like

• Protons are positively charged and

• Without this attraction, electrons would not

7 protons (+) & 2 electrons (-) =

• There are 3 ways objects can be charged:

• Charging by friction occurs when electrons are “wiped”

• Charging by conduction happens when electrons move from

Ex. Suppose you touch an uncharged piece of metal with a

Ex.: If you charge up a balloon through friction and

• When you charge something by any method, no

• Ex. Clothes taken out of

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