Static Electricity - Science

Hi guys, currently New Zealand is in lockdown because of covid in our communities so we are studying and learning from home, again. For science, we are going on to a new topic which is electricity. I am personally excited to learn about how electricity works because we will learn about atoms, electrons, protons, neutrons and static electricity. Electricity is the movement of charged particles also known as atoms. For instance, electricity is the force that powers a light bulb. Anyway, our task was to answer these 4 questions.  

1. What are the 3 particles that make up everything? Which ones are positive and negative charges?

Three particles create an atom (the smallest particle of a chemical element that can exist), Electrons (-) are negatively charged and are located in shells around the nucleus. Neutrons have zero charges basically they are neutral, they are located in the nucleus in the centre of atoms. Protons (+) are positively charged and are located in the nucleus in the centre of atoms as well as neutrons. As you can see in this diagram where every particle is located. Fun Fact; Benjamin Franklin was the first who chose to call electrons negative and protons positive. Electrons can move from atom to atom, unlike protons. When an atom has the right balance of electrons and protons it has zero charges but when an atom gains extra electrons it becomes negatively charged and is an anion. When the opposite happens, so when an atom loses electrons its is positively charged and is a cation. 

2. Objects want to be "electrically neutral." What does this mean?

Electrically neutral means in an atom both electrons and protons are balanced. Protons and electrons have equal and opposite charges, so that results in no net charge. Ions are atoms that have either gained or lost electrons, this means ions have a net charge.

Difference Between

Atoms         &            Ions

- Electricity Neutral     - Electricity Charged

- Same Amount Of        - Different Amount Of

Protons and Electrons      Protons And Electrons

- Number Of Protons           - May Contain One 

Define Its Element             Or More Atoms 

3. When you rub two insulators you can get a static shock, so what are conductors and insulators?   

Conductors are materials that electricity flows through easily, this means atoms where electrons can move or jump off. For instance, copper(Cu), gold(Au), silver(Ag), water(H20) are all conductors. In fact, our bodies are conductors, electricity will try to find the easiest and fastest way to the ground because our body is mostly water we are good conductors of electricity. Let's take for example that a power line has fallen on a tree and you touch the tree you are a path or conductor to the ground but be careful you could suffer from an electric shock. 

Insulators help electricity from leaving power lines. Glass, plastic or ceramic insulators on power poles help electricity from travelling to the ground. Another example is rubber on the outside of an electrical cord which provides an insulator from the wires. When the wires are covered with rubber the electricity can't travel through the rubber so it is focused to follow the aluminium(Al) or copper wires.

4. What is an example of static electricity? 

Static means lacking in movement, action, or change, especially in an undesirable way. For example, when you walk across the carpet with socks on and get a shock from the doorknob when opening the door. Another example of static energy is when rubbing a balloon on your hair and the ends stand up. This is created by an imbalance in positive and negative charges. Static electricity is caused by two things rubbing and one supplying electrons to the other. Lighting is caused by a buildup of static electricity in a storm cloud.

I hope you have loved reading about how electricity works, I enjoyed learning about atoms and about static electricity. What do you know about electricity? Have a great day bye.