Teacher’s Notes

This sequence of slides is designed to introduce, and explain

electrostatic charging by friction, as explained on
page 242 in New Physics for You, 2006 edition
(page 248 in Physics for You, 2001 edition).

On each slide the key points are revealed step by step, at the click
of your mouse (or the press of a key such as the space-bar).

Before making the next mouse-click you can ask questions of the
class or make statements about what is about to be revealed.
This should help students to become clearer about the ideas
involved.
Naturally it pays to have quick practice-run first.

To start the slide-show, press function-key F5

(or right-click->Full Screen)
(to return to ‘normal view’ press the <Esc> key).

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Charging by friction

New Physics for You, page 242

Learning Objectives

You should learn :

• How insulated objects can be

charged by friction,

• That this is because some

charges can move.
Charging by friction

In this diagram:

The wool and polythene

are each ‘uncharged’.
What does this mean?
Charging by friction

The wool is +
‘uncharged’, + − −
because… +
+ − +
…it has equal amounts −+−
− −
of positive and + + −
negative charge. −−
+ +
Equal numbers of
+ and −
On the polythene
On the wool
Charging by friction

Equal numbers of + +
and − on the wool: + − −
+
(Count them!) + − +
−+−
7+ 7− − −
+ + −
Equal numbers of + −−
and − on the + +
polythene:
(Count them!)
3+ 3−
Charging by friction

If you rub the wool on +−

the polythene, some + − −
electrons (−) move +
+ +−
from the wool to the −+
polythene. − −
There are now more + + + −−
than − on the wool: −
+ +
(Count them!)
So now the wool is charged
positively,
with a surplus of 3 +
Charging by friction

What has happened to +−

the polythene? + − −
+
+ +−
There are now more − −+
than + on the − −
polythene: + + −−
(Count them!) −
+ +
So now the polythene is
charged negatively,
with a surplus of 3 −
Charging by friction
This is summed
up
in the diagram
on page 242:
Both objects are
now equally
charged,
with opposite
charges
because electrons
− (only) have
Learning Outcomes
You should now:
• Understand what it means when an
object
is ‘charged’ or ‘uncharged’,
• Understand how an insulated object
becomes charged by rubbing,
• Understand why the objects have
equal
but opposite charges,
• Know that only electrons (−) can
move.
For more details, see:

 New Physics for You, page 242

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