Topic 11 Static electricity

Question 1

1 Which particles in an atom have a positive charge?

Answer 1

protons

Question 2

2 Which particles in an atom have a negative charge?

Answer 2

electrons

Question 3

3 What is the overall charge on an atom?

Answer 3

no charge

Question 4

4 A sodium atom loses one electron to form a sodium ion. What is the charge on a sodium ion?

Answer 4

positive, +1

Question 5

5 A chlorine atom gains an electron to form a chloride ion. What is the charge on a chloride ion?

Answer 5

negative -1

Question 6

6 What particles flow to form an electrical current?

Answer 6

electrons

Question 7

7 What name is given to materials that cannot allow electrons to flow through them?

Answer 7

insulators

Question 8

8 Two acetate rods have the same charge and are hanging on threads. One is brought near the other. What happens to the rods: attraction, repulsion or nothing?

Answer 8

repulsion

Question 9

9 An acetate rod is rubbed with a duster, which leaves the rod with a positive charge. What particles have been transferred?

Answer 9

electrons from the rod to the cloth

Question 10

10 What force causes the transfer of electrons when a duster is used to rub an acetate rod?

Answer 10

friction

Question 11

11 What type of materials can collect an electric charge: conductors or insulators?

Answer 11

insulators

Question 12

12 What happens when two positively charged rods are brought near to one another?

Answer 12

repulsion

Question 13

13 Which particles move when an object gains a charge?

Answer 13

electrons

Question 14

14 What force causes the movement of these particles when an object gains a charge?

Answer 14

friction

Question 15

15 A polythene rod is rubbed with a duster. The duster becomes positively charged. What is the charge on the rod now?

Answer 15

negative

Question 16

16 Two acetate rods are both rubbed with the same cotton duster. What will happen if the two rods are brought near each other?

Answer 16

repulsion

Question 17

17 A negatively charged balloon is brought near a wall. Which charged particles at the surface of the wall do not move?

Answer 17

protons

Question 18

18 A charged balloon will stick to a wall because it causes a charge to form on the surface of the wall. What is this charge called?

Answer 18

induced charge

Question 19

19 If you become charged you feel a shock when you touch a metal object. What causes this shock?

Answer 19

flowing electrons

Question 20

20 A storm cloud has a positive charge. What happens to electrons when the cloud comes into contact with a lightning conductor?

Answer 20

electrons move from the conductor into the cloud

Question 21

21 Which charged particles move when something gains a charge?

Answer 21

electrons

Question 22

22 If you walk across a nylon carpet you may pick up a charge. Why does this charge not leave you?

Answer 22

nylon is an insulator/insulating material

Question 23

23 If you have a negative charge, why might you feel a shock when touching a metal door handle?

Answer 23

electrons move from you to the metal

Question 24

24 What is the process of removing charge from an object called?

Answer 24

earthing

Question 25

25 When a charged objected has been earthed and no longer has a charge, how do we describe it?

Answer 25

discharged

Question 26

26 Aeroplanes gain a charge while flying. What can happen between an aeroplane and a metal object near it, as it lands?

Answer 26

spark from discharge

Question 27

27 A bonding line is connected to an aeroplane to earth it before refuelling it to stop any sparks from discharge. What might happen if a spark occurs?

Answer 27

it will ignite the fuel

Question 28

28 In an electrostatic sprayer, the droplets of spray spread out wide. Why does this happen?

Answer 28

all the droplets are given the same charge and repel one another

Question 29

29 Static electricity is a non-contact force that can produce a field around it, called an electric field or electrostatic field. Give the name of a field produced by another non-contact force.

Answer 29

magnetic field, gravitational field

Question 30

30 To show the strength of a field, we draw field lines. What do field lines that are closer together represent?

Answer 30

a stronger field strength