- Static charge is an imbalance of electric charges on the surface of a material, typically caused by friction, where electrons are transferred from one object to another, resulting in one object having a net positive charge and the other a net negative charge.
- a) The girl’s hair sticks out because when she touches the charged Van de Graaff generator, her body becomes charged with the same type of charge (usually positive). Since like charges repel, each strand of hair, now carrying the same charge, repels the neighboring strands, causing them to stand apart and away from each other and the head.
- b) The girl is probably standing on a plastic box because plastic is an insulator. This prevents the charge accumulated on her body from flowing into the ground, allowing the charge to build up and remain on her, which is necessary for the hair-raising effect to occur.
- c) If the girl got her left hand close to a water tap or other grounded object, she would likely experience a small electric shock. This happens because the tap is connected to the ground (earth), which can accept or supply electrons. The excess charge on her body would rapidly flow through the air (as a spark) or through contact to the grounded object to neutralize the charge imbalance.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of electric charge worksheet.
