Electric Charges and History

What phenomenon occurs when we take off synthetic clothes in dry weather?

Like charges attract each other.

Who discovered that amber rubbed with wool or silk attracts light objects?

The Greek word 'elektron' means _____

What happens when a glass rod is rubbed with silk?

What are the two kinds of electric charges?

Unlike charges neutralize each other's effects when brought into contact.

Electric Charges

Two glass rods rubbed with wool or silk cloth repel each other
Two strands of wool or two pieces of silk cloth, with which the rods were rubbed, also repel each other
The glass rod and wool attract each other
Two plastic rods rubbed with cat’s fur repel each other
The plastic rod attracts the glass rod and repels the silk or wool with which the glass rod is rubbed
The glass rod repels the fur
There are two types of electric charges: one acquired by glass/plastic rods and the other by wool/fur/silk
Like charges repel and unlike charges attract each other
Charges acquired after rubbing are lost when the charged bodies are brought in contact.
Unlike charges neutralize each other's effects.

Historical Context

The discovery of static electricity is credited to Thales of Miletus, Greece, around 600 BC.
Thales observed that amber rubbed with wool or silk cloth attracted light objects.
The word “electricity” is derived from the Greek word “elektron”, which means "amber".

Key Concepts

Static electricity refers to the buildup of electric charges on the surface of a material.
Electrostatics deals with the study of forces, fields and potentials arising from static charges.

This quiz covers the fundamentals of electric charges, including the principles of attraction and repulsion between charged objects. It also explores the historical discovery of static electricity by Thales of Miletus and its significant contributions to our understanding of electricity. Test your knowledge on these vital concepts and their historical context.