Static Electricity

• Static electricity is the build up of electrical charge on objects which can insulate
• Static charge occurs when certain insulating materials rub against eachother. This process is also known as charging by friction
• In charging by friction, one object becomes negative and one becomes positive due to the transfer of electrons
• Static electricity is the electric charge produced by friction
• Sparking is the flow of electrons between two objects, such as during a thunderstorm, when lightening hits the ground, which is neutral and attracts the negative charge
• Earthing or grounding is a way of excess charge flowing into earth
• In conductors, electrons are free to move. So if a conductor becomes charged due to friction with another object, the charge wont stay in one place. It spreads out quickly and can even move into the earth. This is why conductors rarely maintain a static charge
• When one object is negatively charged and another object is positively charged or neutral, there is a potential difference
• If a negatively charged object touches a grounded object, it will also become grounded
• When an object is grounded, excess charge flows into the earth and the object becomes neutral