Static Electricity Quiz

Question 1

What is static electricity?

Answer 1

A build up of charge

Question 2

What is electron affinity?

Answer 2

A substance’s desire for electrons. A substance with a greater electron affinity has a better chance of gaining electrons.

Question 3

All materials start with a _______ charge

Answer 3

Answer: Nuetral

Question 4

How can you charge materials?

Answer 4

by rubbing them together

Question 5

What happens when 2 neutral objects interact?

Answer 5

Neutral objects do nothing to neutral objects

Question 6

What happens when a charged object and a neutral object interact?

Answer 6

A charged object attracts a neutral object

Question 7

Two objects with the same charge_______.

Answer 7

Two objects with the same charge repel each other

Question 8

Two objects with different charges ________.

Answer 8

Two objects with different charges attract each other.

Question 9

What are conductors?

Answer 9

Conductors are materials that allow electricity to pass through easily. (e.g. metals)

Question 10

What are fair conductors?

Answer 10

Fair conductors allow electricity to pass with difficulty (e.g. human body, salty water- more salt more conductive- moist air, soil)

Question 11

What are insulators?

Answer 11

Insulators do not allow electricity to pass through so static electricity builds up on insulators since electrons cannot flow through the material. (e.g. rubber, plastic, dry air)

Question 12

What is discharge?

Answer 12

Discharge is the way an object can lose its charge. The 2 ways to discharge is by conduction or a spark.

Question 13

What is conduction?

Answer 13

When a charge is discharged by contact

Question 14

What is a “spark?””

Answer 14

When a charge is discharged by electrons jumping through the air.

Question 15

What is an electroscope?

Answer 15

Thin metal leaves that can detect an electric charge.

Question 16

How can electrons move?

Answer 16

Electrons can move from object to object or can be induced and move within an object. They are attracted to positive charges and are repelled by negative charges.

Question 17

Can protons move?

Answer 17

Protons are in the middle of the nuclus thereofre cannot move.

Question 18

How does an electroscope work?

Answer 18

An electroscope works through induction. When a charge is held close, it induces a charge in the electroscope and the electroscopes leaves.

Question 19

How do you permently charge an electroscope?

Answer 19

You would induce a charge in the electroscope, then with the induced charge still near, you would ground the electroscope to allow electrons to move creating a permenant charge.

Question 20

What is induction?

Answer 20

Induction is when electrons move based on a charge that is held near by. E.g. a negative charge is held near a neutral object which repels the electrons in the neutral object making one end of it positive and one end negative. after induction, the 2 objects attract.
induction does not change the overall charge of an object

Question 21

What is lightning? How does it occur?

Answer 21

Lightning is a huge spark caused by electrons building up in the bottom due to the friction of falling ice crystals and rising water droplets carried by up by humid air.

Question 22

What are the 3 types of lightning?

Answer 22

1. Intracloud
2. Cloud to Ground
3. “Bolt from the Blue”

Question 23

How is intracloud lightning caused?

Answer 23

Intracloud lightning happens inside a cloud. The positives sit at the top of the cloud and the negatives sit at the botttom but they are attracted to each other, so the electrons jump to the protons on the other side creating a spark in the cloud.

Question 24

How is cloud to ground ligtning caused?

Answer 24

The electrons at the bottom of the cloud (created by friction) induce a positive charge in the ground below the cloud. When the static electricity charge in the ground has built up enough, the electrons jump to the surface of the earth. The taller the object, the more it is induced so it has a higher chance of getting struck by lightning.

Question 25

How is “bolt from the blue” caused?

Answer 25

This happens when the top of the cloud is blown to the side because of high wind speeds and since the top is positive, it induces a negative charge in the ground. When the ground has built up enough of a negative charge, the electrons can jump back up from the ground to the cloud creating a spark.

Question 26

Where is the safest place to be if there is lightning?

Answer 26

In doors because the walls channel the electrons to the ground. A lightning rod can ensure this.

Question 27

Where is the second safest place to be?

Answer 27

In a car because the metal channels electricity down to the ground

Question 28

Where is the worst place to be?

Answer 28

On or in the water because water is an insulator so the charge will travel across the surface until it hits the ground.

Question 29

Why shouldnt you stand next to a tree?

Answer 29

You are a better conductor than the tree, so if the tree gets hit, the charge will jump to you.

Question 30

What is thunder?

Answer 30

Thunder is due to the rapid expansion of air as it heats up quickly because of the electricity passing through it.