Charges & Electrons
This is the type of charge an object will have after it loses electrons.
What is positive?
This method of charging involves rubbing two objects together to transfer electrons.
What is charging by friction?
The accumulation of electric charge on an object and the charges are not flowing.
What is static electricity?
This type of current electricity is used to run small devices like phones and laptops.
What is direct current (DC)?
The net charge of an object with 4 positive charges and 9 negative charges.
What is −5?
This is the process of connecting a charged object to the Earth's surface to neutralize it.
What is grounding?
You walk across carpet in socks and touch a metal doorknob. Electrons jump from your hand to the metal, creating an electric ______.
What is a discharge?
In this component of a circuit, chemical potential energy turns into electrical energy and produce electrons at the negative terminal.
What is a battery?
TRUE or FALSE: An object gains a positive charge when it gains protons. Answer:
What is false? Objects become positive by losing electrons, not by gaining protons.
A charged rod is brought near running water without touching it, and the water bends toward the rod. This is charging by ______.
What is induction?
Aluminum allows electrons to flow easily, making it a good ______. Rubber prevents electron flow, making it a good ______.
What are a conductor and an insulator?
Name the component that slows down electron flow AND the component that converts electrical energy into another form (like light or sound).
What are a resistor and a load?
Pith ball A is positive. A repels C but attracts D. D also attracts C. State the charges on C and D.
What is C = positive, D = negative?
If an object is at the top of the electrostatic series, does it pull away electrons or give up electrons?
Gives up electrons.
How can you create a temporary charge on a neutral object, and what type of charge does the object have while the temporary charge is present?
Bring a charged object close to the neutral object without touching it (induction). The object will have an induced charge — the side closest to the charged object will have the opposite charge, and the far side will have the same charge. Once the charged object is removed, the object returns to neutral.
Give one advantage and one disadvantage of a series circuit.
Advantage — simple to build, uses less wiring. Disadvantage — if one component fails, the entire circuit stops working.
Pith ball B is attracted to ALL other pith balls (positive, negative, and neutral). State B's charge and explain why it's attracted to everything.
What is neutral? A neutral object is attracted to any charged object through induction — charges rearrange inside the neutral object, creating attraction to both positive and negative objects.
When two materials are rubbed together, the one with higher electron affinity becomes negative. If you wanted to positively charge polyester, explain how you would choose a material and what happens to the electrons.
Choose a material below polyester on the electrostatic series (higher electron affinity). That material pulls electrons away from the polyester, making the polyester positive and the other material negative.
Now the positive rod touches the electroscope. Describe the electron transfer and the final charge on the electroscope when the rod is removed. What type of charge is it?
Electrons transfer from the electroscope to the positive rod. When the rod is removed, the electroscope has lost electrons and is now permanently positively charged. Charge by contact.
Give one advantage and one disadvantage of a parallel circuit, AND explain how the flow of electrons differs from a series circuit.
Advantage — if one component fails, others keep working. Disadvantage — more complex wiring. In parallel, electrons have multiple paths to flow through, unlike series where there is only one path.