Static electricity is the build-up of electric charge on an object. It occurs when electrons are transferred from one object to another, leaving an imbalance of charges. This can cause sparks or shocks when charges are equalized. Static cling and lightning are both examples of static electricity. Safety tips to prevent shocks or fires from static electricity include grounding oneself before pumping gas and staying inside during thunderstorms.

1. Static
Electricity
OCS Applied Science
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2. U6 L22 OCS Applied Science
Static Electricity
The build-up of electric
charge in one place

3. OCS Applied Science
Atoms
 Allmatter is made of atoms
 Atoms are too small to be seen
with our eyes
 Parts of atom
 Protons – have positive charge
 Neutrons – have NO charge
 Electrons – have negative charge

4. Location of Parts
 Nucleus
 Protons and Neutrons
 Outside Nucleus
 Electrons

5. What creates Static Electricity?
 Static electricity is created when the
positive and negative charges are not
balanced
 Most of the time , atoms have the same
number of positive and negative charges
so they are neutral, meaning they are not
positive or negative.

6. Moving Electrons = charge
 Since the protons and the neutrons are in
the nucleus, they do not move around
too much
 The electrons jump all over the place

7. Static shock!
 As you walk across the carpet, electric
charge builds up on your body. When
you shuffle your feet you pick up electrons
from the carpet
 When you reach for a doorknob, the
charge is released.
 This causes you to get shocked

8. 8

9. How this works
 Opposite charges attract
 The negatively charged electrons want to
move to the positively charged door
 Like charges repel
 So electrons want to move away
from each other

10. Static Electricity and Winter
 You see more static charge in the winter
since the air is dry
 Example
 Hair sticking up after taking off a hat
 Hair
builds up negative charge
 Negatives repel

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Static Electricity
 Electrical charge can be
given off in the form of sparks
 Static cling is the build-up of
static electricity in materials
like clothing.
 Lightning is caused by the
buildup of charges between
the clouds and ground.
 Electrons build up in clouds
and jump to the ground,
causing a spark

12. Safety Tips
 Static
electricity can
be dangerous
 Never get back into
your car while
pumping gas
 Don’t use your cell
phone when
pumping gas
 You could build up
charge and create a
spark
 Sparks can cause
gasoline to catch on
fire!

13. Safety tips
 Stay inside during
thunderstorms if
possible
 (thunder is the sound
of lightning)
 Avoid contact with
metal
 Avoid water
 If you are outside, seek
low lying areas away
from trees

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