Static Electricity

What is Static Electricity?

Within Physics, which covers forces, energy, waves, electricity, magnetism, light and space explained through motion and experiments, this topic explains Static Electricity. Physics topics explain how things move, push, heat up and carry energy, so each one here pairs a definition with a live model you can change.

Check that you can explain Static Electricity in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.

Understanding Static Electricity explains how the physical world behaves, from sport and transport to electricity and medicine.

Static Electricity in detail

Static electricity builds up when insulating materials are rubbed together and electrons are transferred from one to the other. The one that gains electrons becomes negatively charged and the one that loses them becomes positively charged. Like charges repel and unlike charges attract.

Charged objects attract uncharged ones by induction, such as a balloon sticking to a wall. A build-up of charge can discharge as a spark, as in lightning. It is a hazard when refuelling aircraft (earthing prevents sparks) but is useful in photocopiers, paint sprayers and electrostatic precipitators that clean smoke.

How the interactive helps you understand Static Electricity

Watch the circuit in the interactive. Use any sliders or buttons it offers to change the values and see how the circuit responds.

Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of Static Electricity.

Real-life uses and examples

• Use Static Electricity to make sense of a practical and its results.
• Answer “explain” questions by linking Static Electricity to a clear cause and effect.
• Predict what a ball, car or circuit will do with Static Electricity before you do the calculation.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Mixing up Static Electricity with a related quantity that has different units.
• Forgetting that some quantities, such as force or velocity, also have a direction.
• Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.