Electrostatic Charging by Friction
- When two different materials are rubbed together, negative charges are transferred from one object to another
- The material that loses electrons will become positively charged while the material that gains electrons will become negatively charged
Electron Affinity
- Higher electron affinity = higher tendency to aquire electrons
- Triboelectric series is the ordering of materials based on their electron affinity
Common materials that can be electrostatically charged by friction:
| Negatively-charged | Positively-charged |
|---|---|
| Polythene (rubbed with wool) | Perspex (rubbed with wool) |
| Ebonite/Amber/Rubber (rubbed with fur) | Glass (rubbed with silk) |
Neutralising Electrostatic Charges
- For insulators - pass the apparatus quickly through a bunsun flame
- For conductors - touch the appartus to allow the excess charges to flow through our body to the ground (earthed)
18:34 Saturday 01 October 2022