static electricity

• Conductor


  Material where electrons can easily flow, like metals
• Insulator


  Material where electrons cannot move through, like plastic and glass
• Insulators


  • Cloth
  • Plastic
• Generating static electricity


  1. Rub plastic with cloth

  2. Electrons move from plastic to cloth

  3. Plastic becomes positively charged

  4. Cloth becomes negatively charged
• Static electricity


  Can cause electric shocks after walking on carpet
• Van de Graaff generator


  • Has a moving belt
  • Electrons pass from top roller to belt
  • Electrons pass off belt to earth at bottom
  • Top region becomes positively charged
• Person holding Van de Graaff generator dome

  • Becomes positively charged
  • Hair stands on end due to repulsion of positive charges
• Static electricity during aircraft refueling

  • Can build up charge in refueling pipe
  • Can cause sparks that trigger explosions
• To prevent static electricity sparks during aircraft refueling, the refueling truck and aircraft are connected to prevent charge buildup