Static vs Current Electricity
What causes static electricity?
The buildup of electric charges on an object.
What is an insulator?
An insulator is an object that does not allow electricity to travel through it.
What form of energy does a battery store?
Chemical energy.
What is a circuit?
A complete path that electricity flows through.
Name three ways to generate renewable electrical energy.
solar power, wind power, water power
What happens when you rub a balloon on your hair?
Electrons transfer and create static electricity.
What is a conductor?
A conductor is an object that allows electricity to pass through it.
What energy transformation happens in a light bulb?
Electrical energy → light (and heat) energy.
Name three parts of a simple circuit.
Power source, wires, load (e.g., bulb), switch.
Name two problems associated with using wind turbines to generate electricity.
The wind turbines take up a lot of space, they are expensive, they are not pretty to look at, birds get caught and killed in them
What is current electricity?
The continuous flow of electric charge through a conductor.
Why is it important that wires in your wall are covered in plastic?
The plastic is an insulator that prevents you from making direct contact with the electricity in the wire.
If an atom has the same number of electrons and protons, what type of electrical charge does it have?
a neutral charge
What happens if there is a break in a circuit?
The current stops flowing
Name one non-renewable source of electricity.
Coal, natural gas, nuclear.
Name one difference between static and current electricity.
Static builds up in one place; current flows through a circuit.
Name three objects that conduct electricity.
penny, quater, wire, popcan, spoon, fork, knife
When objects have different charges, do they attract or repel each other?
Objects with opposite charges attract one another and objects with the same charge repel each other.
What is a series circuit?
A circuit with only one path for electricity.
What is one long-term environmental impact of burning fossil fuels?
Climate change/global warming.
Why do you sometimes feel a shock after walking on carpet?
Static electricity builds up and discharges when you touch something.
Name three insulators.
wood, rubber, most plastics,
How does a hydroelectric dam generate electricity?
Moving water turns turbines that generate electrical energy.
Why are homes wired in parallel circuits instead of series?
So devices work independently and one turning off doesn’t stop others.
Give two reasons why hydrogen power would be a great source of energy in the future.
We have an unlimited supply of it and it is a clean fuel that does not hurt the environment.