1. Electricity

2. Resources: Brainpop Static Electricity
Brainpop Electricity
Bill Nye

3. Electricity Unit Name: ___________________
Notes on Electrical Charge Date:________
Notes on Electrical Current Date:________
Notes on Electrical Circuits Date:________
Review Sheet – Electricity Date:________
Circuits Exploration Sheet Date:________
Engineering Project Date:________
Electricity Lab/Write-Up Date:________
Electricity Quiz Date:________

4. What is electricity?
The term electricity refers to the interactions involving the charged (+/-) parts of atoms or objects
On a large scale, these charges can be useful

5. The atom consists of: + a nucleus made up of protons (+) and neutrons
Electrons (-) spinning quickly around the nucleus

6. Objects do not like to have a charge!
The lowest energy state of an atom is neutral (no charge, +’s and –’s are equal)
There are forces between separated + and – charges.
The – charges want to be with the + charges and will move towards them until +’s and –’s even out

7. - - - - - - - - - - + + + + + + Electrical Charge
An object is said to have an electrical charge if its protons (+) and electrons (-) are not in equal amounts
The more extra protons (+) or electrons (-) an object has, the stronger the charge on it.
I have a charge of -4 because I have 4 more –’s than +’s.

8. + + - - - + + Electrical Forces
There is a force of attraction between positive and negative charges (opposite)
attraction + -
There are forces of repulsion between similar charges -
repulsion -
repulsion + +

9. Like charges push away:

10. Opposite charges come together:

11. Strength of Electrical Forces:
More charge separation  stronger electrical force
- - -
+ + +
+ +
- -
Weak force
Stronger force
More distance  weaker electrical force:
- - -
Stronger force
- - -
Weaker force

12. Static Electricity:
Rubbing feet on carpets puts extra electrons on you giving you a - charge
Because dry air and rubber are insulators, the charge remains on you until …
Touching a conductor such as a metal door knob or a person’s wet hand will conduct the charge away from you

13. Conductors and Insulators:
Conductors - materials through which charges move easily
metals (especially copper and aluminum)
Insulators - materials through which charges will not move easily
glass, dry wood, most plastics, rubber, dry air