Electricity

Part 1: Static Electricity

Introduction: Atoms
Atoms are made up of charged particles.

Atoms are made of 3 subatomic particles:

protons, electrons and neutrons.
Introduction: Atoms
Atoms are made up of charged particles.
Electrons

Protons (-) Charge

(+) Charge

Neutrons

No Charge
Introduction: Atoms
Normally, the number of protons (+) equals the
number of electrons (-) and there is no Electrons
charge.

Protons (-) Charge

If there are more protons (+) than electrons (-)
(+) Charge
the material will have a positive charge.

Neutrons
If there are less protons (+) than electrons (-)
(-) Charge
the material will have a negative charge.
Moving Charges
Electrons can leave their atoms.

Electrons can move, but protons cannot.

When a material loses its electrons,

it develops a (+) charge

When a material gains electrons,

it develops a (-) charge
Moving Charges
Electrons can leave their atoms.

Electrons can move, but protons cannot.

+ This causes uncharged

objects to become
(+) and (-) charged
-
We say the materials have
developed a static charge
Static Charges
When two charged objects are placed near
each other, they exert a force on each other.

If objects have different charges, they attract.

If objects have the same charge, they repel.

1. Charging by Friction
Objects can be statically charged in 3 ways:

Charging By Friction
When two objects rub together, one object
loses electrons and the other gains electrons.

Positive -+ - +
-+
+ -+ -
-
+
negative
2. Charging by Induction
Objects can be statically charged in 3 ways:

Charging By Induction
When (-) charges separate without contact
and are then pulled away from an object.

- -
+ -+ - +
- -
-
+ -+ - +
- -
-
Positive
3. Charging by Contact
Objects can be statically charged in 3 ways:

Charging By Contact
When a charged object directly touches a
neutral object, the (-) charges move to it.

- +
- --
- -
+ --
-
- negative
Example: Charging by Contact
Charging by contact explains why you get
shocked when you touch a metal object.

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Lightning
Lightning is simply a large scale version of what
happens when you get shocked by a doorknob.
Step 1
In a cloud, there are (+) and (-) charges.
There are equal numbers of each.

- +
+
- +
+ -
-
Step 2
Wind and gravity separate the charges, with the
heavier (-) charges going to the bottom.

+ +
+
+

- - - -
Step 3
Due to induction, the (-) charges in the cloud repel
the (-) charges in the ground to move down.

+ +
+
+

- - - -

- + -+ - + + - -+ - +
Step 4
Now the ground has a (+) charge. The (+) charges
in the ground attract the (-) charges in the cloud.

+ +
+
+

- - - -

+ + + + + +
Cloud to Cloud Lightning
Differences in charges can also occur between clouds.
Any Questions?
Electricity
Part 2: Current Electricity
Introduction
Static electricity cannot make
TVs and light bulbs work.

This is because static electricity only carries

a limited amount of electric charge.

To be useful, we need a
constant flow of electric charges

This flow is called electric current.

Electrical Current
Electric current is the flow of electrons
through a conductor, such as a wire.

The electrons come from a source

like an electric cell, or a battery.
Electrical Current

The electrons leave the cell

at the negative (-) terminal
Electrical Current

The electrons get pushed through

the wires along a path
Electrical Current

The electrons then return to the

cell at the positive (+) terminal
Electrical Current

While they flow around the wire, they

transfer electrical energy to things
Electric Circuit
Electric current is the flow of electrons
through a conductor, such as a wire.

In order for charges to flow, there

must be a closed path, or loop.

This path is called

an electric circuit