Static Electricity & Electrical Discharge Physics Notes PDF

### **Static Electricity** - Static electricity results from an imbalance of electric charges within or on the surface of a material. - This imbalance creates an electric field. - It is a stationary electric charge, as opposed to dynamic electricity, which involves a flow of charge....

### **Static Electricity** - Static electricity results from an imbalance of electric charges within or on the surface of a material. - This imbalance creates an electric field. - It is a stationary electric charge, as opposed to dynamic electricity, which involves a flow of charge. - Common examples include the \"shock\" you feel after walking on a carpet or rubbing a balloon on your hair. - Static electricity comes from friction, contact, or induction. ### **Electrical Discharge** - Electrical discharge is the movement of electric charge from one place to another. - This typically occurs when the electric field between two objects becomes strong enough to overcome the resistance of the medium( air or a non-conductor). - The discharge manifests as a spark or current flow. - Lightning is the spectacular example of natural electrical discharge. - Static discharges are typically small and localized. ### **Charge Interactions** - Charges with the same polarity repel each other (like charges repel). Positive charges repel other positive charges; negative charges repel other negative charges. - Charges with opposite polarity attract each other (opposite charges attract). Positive charges attract negative charges, and vice versa. - The magnitude of the force of attraction or repulsion is determined by Coulomb\'s law. - The closer the charges, the greater the force. - The greater the amount of charge, the greater the force. ### **Electrostatics Principles** - The fundamental law governing electrostatic interactions is Coulomb\'s law. - Coulomb\'s law states that the force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of their magnitudes and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. - This law mathematically describes the strength of the electrostatic force between charged objects. - The force is a vector quantity and acts along the line connecting the two charges. - Electric fields surround charged objects. The electric field is a vector field that illustrates the force exerted on a unit positive test charge at a given point in space surrounding a source of charge. - Electric fields are a crucial concept in understanding how charged objects interact. - Electric potential energy is a measure of the work done in moving a charge in an electric field. - The potential difference between two points in an electric field is the work required per unit of charge to move the charge between those two points. - An important consequence of Coulomb\'s law is that the total charge is conserved. Charge cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transferred.