Define the term conductor.
Enjoying Flashcards?
Tell us what you think
Define the term conductor.
A conductor is a material that allows charge (usually electrons) to flow through it easily.
Name three examples of materials which are good conductors.
Three good conductors are:
Copper
Aluminium
Steel
Name three examples of materials which are good insulators.
Three good insulators are:
Plastic
Glass
Wood
True or False?
Static charge is able to build up on conductors when they are rubbed with another material.
False.
Static charge is able to build up on insulators when rubbed with another insulating material.
Name the independent variable in the experiment designed to investigate the behaviour of insulating materials when charged by friction.
The independent variable is the material of the rods being charged.
Name the dependent variable in the experiment designed to investigate the behaviour of insulating materials when charged by friction.
The dependent variable is the charge on the rod.
State the purpose of hanging the rods from strings.
Hanging the rods from strings suspends them, allowing them to move freely when subjected to a force. Their charge can be deduced from this movement.
True or False?
If two rods have like charges, they will move away from each other when suspended side by side.
True.
The rods repel because they have the same charge, causing them to move apart.
Name two potential random errors in this experiment.
Two random errors may be:
A breeze or shaking table causes the suspended rods to move
The motion of the rods is small due to a small charge so results are misinterpreted
What is the purpose of rubbing insulating solids with a cloth in electrostatic experiments?
The purpose of rubbing insulating solids with a cloth in electrostatic experiments is to transfer electrons between the cloth and the insulator, leaving the rod with a net charge.
What is meant by the term static electricity?
Static electricity is the build-up of charge on an object, this can be either an excess of positive charge or negative charge.
What is charging by friction?
When certain insulating materials are rubbed against each other they become electrically charged
True or False?
Two insulators are rubbed together and one becomes positively charged. This is because positive charges are transferred to that material.
False.
When an object becomes positively charged through charging by friction, this is because it loses electrons, not because it has gained positive charge.
How can two insulators become charged by rubbing them together?
Two insulators become charged when rubbed together because electrons are transferred between them.
One insulator gains electrons and the other loses electrons.
Is the force between two opposite charges attractive or repulsive?
The force between two opposite charges is attractive.
Is the force between two similar charges attractive or repulsive?
The force between two similar charges is repulsive.
What causes an insulator to gain a negative charge when rubbed with another insulator?
An insulator becomes negatively charged when electrons are transferred to it.
Name one danger of static electricity.
A potential danger of static electricity is
the risk of fire due to a spark near a flammable liquid or gas e.g. when refuelling a plane
the risk of electrocution e.g. from lightning
What causes sparking?
Sparking occurs when
there is a large build-up of charge on an insulator
the potential difference is large enough for current to travel through the air
How can the risk of sparking when refuelling a plane be reduced?
When refuelling a plane, the risk of sparking can be reduced by connecting the fuel tank to the Earth (using a bonding line) to carry excess charge away.
Name two common uses of static electricity.
Two common uses of static electricity are:
Photocopiers
Spray paint
How do manufacturers use static electricity to ensure that spray paint droplets spread out widely and evenly?
The paint droplets are all given the same charge so they repel and spread out.
True or False?
Negatively charged black toner particles are attracted to negative regions of paper in a photocopier.
False.
Negatively charged black toner particles are attracted to positive regions of paper in a photocopier.