Static electricity: charge | Science | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

In which of the following examples could you find static charge building up?

car tyres rubbing on the road ✓

rubbing a cloth on a piece of plastic ✓

mains electricity lighting a bulb

walking on a carpet with rubber soled shoes ✓
What is the charge shown on the balloon?

positive

neutral

negative ✓
A ruler and a balloon both have a positive charge. Which of the following will happen as the ruler is brought closer to the balloon?

They will attract more strongly.

They will attract more weakly.

They will repel more weakly.

They will repel more strongly. ✓
The balloons shown both have a negative charge. Which of the following will the balloons do when brought close to each other?

attract

repel ✓

move up

move down
Which of the following explains why the balloon shown sticks to the wall?

The positive and negative charges attract. ✓

The balloon contains helium.

The rubber of the balloon is sticky.

Friction between the wall and the balloon keeps it in place.
Which of the following explains why static charge does not build up in normal circuits?

There is a different type of charge in electrical circuits.

The circuits are not rubbed.

The electrons carry away the charge.

Charge is able to flow away through conducting wires. ✓

Exit quiz

In a conductor, negative charges called ______ can flow to give an electric current.

'electrons' ✓
A neutral object is rubbed and becomes positively charged. Which of the following is the correct explanation for this?

The object gains negative charges.

The object loses negative charges. ✓

The object gains positive charges.

The object loses positive charges.
Which of the following correctly explains why is it difficult to charge an object that is made of metal?

Metals do not have electrons.

Electrons flow easily through metal, so charge cannot build up in one place. ✓

Electrons are more strongly attached to atoms in metals than in other materials.

A metal always gains or loses the same number of positive and negative charges.
Which of the following statements is correct for a neutral object?

The object must be an insulator.

The object must be a conductor.

The object contains no electrons or nuclei.

The object contains nuclei but no electrons.

The object contains equal amounts of positive and negative charge. ✓
A Van der Graaf generator has a moving rubber belt which becomes charged by friction. The charge is transferred to a metal dome. Why can the dome become charged, even though it is made of metal?

The dome’s support is plastic, which is an insulator. ✓

The dome’s support also becomes charged.

The dome’s support is metal, which allows charge to keep flowing to the dome.
A person puts their finger near the dome of a negatively charged Van der Graaf generator. A spark travels between their finger and the dome. Which of the following statements correctly explain why?

Atoms travel between the person and the dome.

Nuclei travel between the person and the dome.

Electrons travel between the person and the dome. ✓

A current flows between the person and the dome. ✓

Worksheet

Presentation

Video

Lesson Details

Key learning points

Atoms contain positive and negative electric charges.
The particles in atoms with a negative electric charge are called electrons.
Electrons can sometimes be transferred from one object to another, depending on the materials the objects are made of.
Metals are difficult to charge because electric charge flows through them, preventing charge from building up.
When static electricity builds up, it can be useful but also problematic.

Common misconception

Pupils often think that both positive and negative charges can move when objects are charged by rubbing.

Emphasise that only electrons can move, explaining that they are found on the outer part of atoms. Use this to explain how a positive charge is created by the removal of electrons.

Keywords

Atom - Atoms are the particles that make up chemical elements, consisting of equal numbers of positively charged protons and negatively charged electrons.
Positive charge - A positive charge is a type of electrical charge that is attracted to a negative charge.
Negative charge - A negative charge is a type of electrical charge that is attracted to a positive charge.
Electron - Electrons are negatively charged particles in conductors that flow to produce an electric current.