static electricity- material that allow electricity to flow through them easily are called electrical conductors.
metals are good electrical conductors. plastics and many other materials, on the other hand, do not allow electricity to flow through them; they are called insulators.
however it is possible for an insulator to become electrically charged if there is friction between it and another insulator. when this happens, electrons are transferred from one material to the other. the insulator is then charged with static electricity. it is called static because the electricity stays on the material and does not move.
you can generate static electricity by rubbing a balloon against your jumper. the electrically charged balloon will then attract very small objects.
electric charge(static) build sup when electrons (which have a negative charge) are rubbed off one material to another. the material receiving electrons become negatively charged and the material giving up electrons becomes positively charged. the charges transferred are equal and opposite.
for example- if you rub a perspex rod with a cloth, it loses electrons to become positively charged. the cloth gains electrons to become negatively charged.
if you rub an ebonite rod with a piece of fur, it gains electrons to become negatively charged. the fur loses electrons to become positively charged.

	Created by kat1jj over 11 years ago

physics (static and current electricity) Note on static and current electricity, created by kat1jj on 09/04/2013.