The Electrostatic Series
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The electrostatic series was created to show how strong or wear a substance has on
electrons
The higher up on the series an object is, the weaker its hold on electrons, and the
lower down on the series an object is, the stronger its hold on electrons
By looking at the electrostatic series, we can predict what charge each object will
obtain if they are rubbed together
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Human Skin
Rabbit fur
Acetate
Glass
Human Hair
Nylon
Wool
Cat fur
Silk
Paper
Cotton
Wood
Amber
Rubber balloon
Vinyl
Polyester
Ebonite
Example: combing your hair with a plastic comb
Hair is higher on the electrostatic series than plastic. Therefore, it will give up some of its
electrons to the comb, becoming positively charged. The comb will thus become negatively
charged.
Electroscope
A device that is used to detect and identify a static charge.
We will use the metal leaf electroscope, it has two strips of metal that bend easily and the
leaves are attached to a central metal rod with a metal sphere at the top.
Charges move freely within the metal (conductor)
Electroscopes can be charged by contact, the object will end up with the same charges as
the charging object
Discharging
When electrons are added or removed from a charged object to restore a neutral charge
Also known as neutralizing
If a charged object is connected to the earth, the object will be discharged, or grounded
Grounding is essential for the safety of people who operate electrical equipment
Charges can flow from the group up or from the object to the ground during grounding.
Read pages 469 Answer questions P. 501 #17
Read pages 475 Answer questions page 477 # 1,2,6,7