CA Lesson 1 Electric Charge 2

Lesson
1
Electric Charge
Focus Question
Why does rubbing your shoes on the

carpet lead to a shock when you touch a
metal door knob?
New Vocabulary
electrostatics
neutral
insulator
conductor
Review Vocabulary
plasma: a gas-like, fluid state of matter made

up of negatively charged electrons and
positively charged ions that can conduct electric
charge; makes up most of the matter in the
universe, such as stars
Evidence of Charge
Electrostatics is the study of electric charges that

can be collected and held in one place.
Over the years, scientists have determined that
there are two types of electric charges. Benjamin
Franklin called them positive and negative
charges.
Two objects with like charges always repel each
other.
Two objects with unlike charges always attract
each other.
Evidence of Charge
If you rub your hair with a balloon, it will stand

on end because of the electrostatic force
between your hair and the oppositely charged
balloon.
A Microscopic View of Charge
All materials contain light, negatively charged

particles called electrons. In addition, each
atom has a massive, positively charged nucleus.
In a neutral object, the amount of negative
charge exactly balances the amount of positive
charge.
With the addition of energy, the outer electrons
can be removed from atoms.
An atom missing electrons has an overall positive

charge. Consequently, any matter made of these
electron-deficient atoms is positively charged.
The freed electrons can remain unattached or
become attached to other atoms, resulting in
negatively charged particles.
From a microscopic viewpoint, acquiring charge
is a process of transferring electrons.
If two neutral objects are rubbed together, each
can become charged.
When rubber shoes are rubbed on a wool rug,

electrons are removed from the atoms in the
wool and transferred to the shoes.
The extra electrons on the rubber result in a net
negative charge. The electrons missing from the
wool result in a net positive charge.
Charge is conserved. That is, individual charges
are never created or destroyed. The positive and
negative charges are separated through a
transfer of electrons.
Conductors and Insulators
A material that allows charges to move about
easily is called an electric conductor.
A material through which a charge will not move
easily is called an electric insulator.
Metals are good conductors because at least one

electron on each atom can be removed easily.
These electrons move freely throughout the piece
of metal.
Under certain conditions, charges move through
air as if it were a conductor.
The spark that jumps between your finger and a

doorknob after you have rubbed your feet on a
carpet discharges you. In other words, you have
become neutral because the excess charges have
left you.
Similarly, lightning discharges a thundercloud. In
both of these cases, air became a conductor for
a brief moment. Excess charges in the cloud and
on the ground are great enough to remove
electrons from the molecules in the air.
Quiz
1 Which describes the electrostatic force?

.
A It is repulsive between any two objects.
B It is attractive between any two objects.
C It is repulsive between like charged objects.

CORRE
CT
It is attractive between like charged objects.
D
Quiz
2 Which is the best description of how a neutral

. object becomes positively charged?
A Positive protons that exist in a second object are

transferred to the object through contact.
B Positive protons are created in the object through

contact with a second object.
C Negative electrons are created and then transferred

to a different object.
D Negative electrons in the object are transferred to a

different object.
CORRE
CT
Quiz
3 What is a material that allows charges to move

. about easily?
A conductor CORRE C proton

CT
B insulator D electron
Quiz
4 Which describes an object that will repel a

. positively charged object?
A an object that has had electrons transferred from

it and is now negatively charged
B an object that has had electrons transferred from it

and is now positively charged CORRE
CT
C an object that has had electrons transferred to it
and is now positively charged
D an object that has had electrons transferred to it

and is now negatively charged
Quiz
5 Which statement correctly identifies most

. metals?
A They are good insulators, because each atom’s

electrons are very difficult to remove.
B They are good conductors, because each atom’s

electrons are very difficult to remove.
C They are good insulators, because each atom has at

least one electron that can be removed easily.
D They are good conductors, because each atom has at

least one electron that can be removed easily.
CORRE
CT

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Lesson

Why does rubbing your shoes on the

plasma: a gas-like, fluid state of matter made

Electrostatics is the study of electric charges that

If you rub your hair with a balloon, it will stand

All materials contain light, negatively charged

An atom missing electrons has an overall positive

When rubber shoes are rubbed on a wool rug,

Metals are good conductors because at least one

The spark that jumps between your finger and a

1 Which describes the electrostatic force?

A It is repulsive between any two objects.

B It is attractive between any two objects.

C It is repulsive between like charged objects.

2 Which is the best description of how a neutral

A Positive protons that exist in a second object are

B Positive protons are created in the object through

C Negative electrons are created and then transferred

D Negative electrons in the object are transferred to a

3 What is a material that allows charges to move

A conductor CORRE C proton

4 Which describes an object that will repel a

A an object that has had electrons transferred from

B an object that has had electrons transferred from it

D an object that has had electrons transferred to it

5 Which statement correctly identifies most

A They are good insulators, because each atom’s

B They are good conductors, because each atom’s

C They are good insulators, because each atom has at

D They are good conductors, because each atom has at

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