GCSE Physics Unit 2 Revision (3)

Static Electricity

• When 2 insulating materials rub together, electrons are scraped off one and dumped on the other.
• This leaves a positive static charge on one and a negative static charge on the other.
• The direction the electrons are transferred depends on the 2 materials involved.
• Electrically charged objects attract small objects placed near them.
• Only electrons move - NEVER the positive charges.
• A positive static charge is only caused by electrons moving away somewhere else.
• A charged conductor can be discharged safely by connecting it to Earth with a metal strap. The electrons flow down the strap if the charge is negative and flow up the strap from the ground if the charge is positive.
• The rate of flow of electrical charge is called electric current.
• 2 things with opposite electric charges are attracted to each other.
• 2 things with the same electric charge will repel each other.
• The further apart the 2 things are, the weaker the forces.
• The greater the charge on an object, the the greater the voltage between it and Earth. If the voltage…