Static electricity and charges

- Electricity is the flow of charged particles. 
- When an object charges up and the charge doesn't flow through it, it becomes static electricity. The material/object therefore must be an insulator.

Charging Insulators

- Insulators can be charged by rubbing with cloth (something made of wool works best).
- The insulator would become either positively or negatively charged depending on the material it's made from.
- You can charge any plastic object this way.

- With the perspex rod, electrons are transferred from the rod to the cloth, leaving the rod with a net positive charge and the cloth with an overall negative charge.
- With a polythene rod, electrons are transferred to the rod from the cloth, leaving the rod with a net negative charge and the cloth with a net positive charge.

Static Electricity

Electrons, being negatively charged, repel each other. Some materials can have their electrons rubbed off them easily. The removal of electrons leaves the material with a net positive charge. When electrons are added, the material is left with a net negative charge. Two positive charges will repel each other. Only the ELECTRONS can move. Some materials prevent electrons from moving through them, causing charges to remain static.