Electrical Charges

Part 4

Induction

By: Samuel

Charging by Induction

Charging by Induction is used to get an object charged with another without them physically touching each other. An example used commonly is when a negatively charged object is held near one of the two touching metal balls (metal works best) suspended from the ground with insulating stands (so electrons cannot escape). The negatively charged object which is not touching the two balls will repel and induce the electrons from the nearer sphere to the other one which is called mass migration, leaving the first sphere with a lot less electrons and the second sphere with a lot more. The two balls are then separated, and they will both have different charges. The first one having a positive charge, and the second having a negative charge. 

It is also similar to when a positively charged object is used at the start. The electrons will move to the sphere nearer to the object, and when the spheres are again separated, they will have different charges.  Another way of Induction is to charge a single object with a helping hand-literally. It’s basically the same, except the electrons from the sphere will move to your hand, which is basically replacing the second sphere in the first example. Your hand, in this example, is the ground. A ground is a large object which has a large amount of electrons which can act like a source or an electron-dispensing object, and can also receive a large amount of electrons, so it works both ways. 

Electrical Charges

Part 3

Grounding

By: Alfi

Methods of Charging: Grounding- the removable charge

Grounding is the process of the removing the excess charge of an object by means of the transfer of electrons between it. If an object is grounded, it’s connected by wire to earth. A ground is simply an object that serves as a seemingly infinite reservoir of electrons.

For example, we have a negatively charged electroscope that has excess of electrons. If the charge is removed, it will lose its excess electrons. Then it has equal numbers of protons and electrons within the object. To remove the excess electrons in the negatively charged electroscope, the electroscope will connect to another object to receive electrons. If the person touches the electroscope, then the excess electrons leave the electroscope.

The process works because excess electrons find each other repulsive. The repulsive affects between like-charged electrons forces them to separate themselves from each other. it’s achieved by moving to a larger object that allows a greater surface area over to spread. Because the relative size of a person compared to a typical electroscope are capable of reducing forces by moving to a person.

Another example, we have a positively charged electroscope that must gain electrons to get equal number of protons and neutrons. To gain electrons from the ground, the electroscope will have a balance of charge and therefore be neutral and the process will be down when the electroscope attracts electrons from the ground.

The Need for a Conducting Pathway

We have 2 taping straws to a charged aluminum plate. One straw is covered with aluminum foil and the other straw is bare plastic. When aluminum-covered straw is touched, it loses charge. But when the plastic straw is touched, the grounding does not occur. The plastic is served as an insulator and prevents flow and prevents flow of electrons going into the aluminum plate. 

Electrical Charges

Part 2

Charging by Friction

By: Adriel

 Atoms

Everything is made up of atoms. Atoms are everywhere because they are basically building blocks of matter. Atoms consists of protons with a positive properties, electrons with negative properties and also neutrons with neutral properties. If the atom looses or gains electrons, it gains an electric charge. Gaining electrons will cause the atom to gain a negative charge while losing electrons will cause the atom to gain a positive charge. The question is, how to charge an object? There are many different ways to charge objects and one is charging by friction

Charging Objects with friction

Atoms have different properties and one of those properties is the atoms "appetite" for electrons. Such property is called electron affinity. To charge objects, we can rub them and move electrons from object to object. When there are two objects, one will tend to gain atoms if its electron affinity is superior to the other object. When the electron affinity is superior to the other object rubbed against, it will then pull electrons out of the object as a result from rubbing. Usually the electrical charges are measured by "units". For example, -9 units. Hope you enjoy!!!