Chapter 6: Problem 54

Describe how we can charge a body by friction.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer: The five steps to charge a body by friction are: 1. Understand charging by friction: Charging by friction occurs when two objects are rubbed together, transferring electrons from one object to the other, resulting in a net charge on both objects. 2. Explore the Triboelectric series: A list of materials arranged by their tendency to gain or lose electrons when rubbed together. The material higher in the series gains electrons while the material lower loses electrons. 3. Choose the materials: Select two materials with different positions in the Triboelectric series, ensuring a significant disparity in electron affinity for efficient charging. 4. Rub the objects together: Create friction by rubbing the two materials against each other, transferring electrons from the material with lower electron affinity to the material with higher electron affinity. 5. Separate the objects: Quickly pull the objects apart after rubbing, leaving one with a net negative charge and the other with a net positive charge, demonstrating the characteristics of static electricity. The Triboelectric series relates to this process as it helps in identifying which materials will efficiently transfer electrons when rubbed together, aiding in charging the body by friction.

Step by step solution

Understand Charging by Friction

Charging by friction occurs when two objects are rubbed against each other, and electrons are transferred from one object to another. This transfer of electrons results in a net charge on both objects. The object that gains electrons becomes negatively charged, while the object that loses electrons becomes positively charged.

Explore the Triboelectric Series

The Triboelectric series is a list of materials arranged in the order of their tendency to gain or lose electrons when rubbed against another material. When two materials are rubbed against each other, the material higher in the Triboelectric series will gain electrons and become negatively charged, while the material lower in the list will lose electrons and become positively charged. For example, when rubber and glass are rubbed together, rubber gains electrons, and glass loses electrons. So rubber becomes negatively charged, and glass becomes positively charged.

Choose the Materials

To charge a body by friction, the first step is to choose two materials that have different positions in the Triboelectric series. This difference in positions ensures that there is a significant disparity in electron affinity, which results in efficient charging when the materials are rubbed together.

Rub the Objects Together

Hold one of the objects in each hand and gently rub the surfaces of the two objects against each other. This rubbing motion will cause friction between the materials, allowing electrons to be transferred from the material with lower electron affinity to the material with higher electron affinity.

Separate the Objects

After rubbing the objects together for a while, quickly separate them. As the objects are pulled apart, the force of the friction will force the transfer of electrons between the objects, leaving one with a net negative charge and the other with a net positive charge. The charged objects may now demonstrate the characteristics of static electricity, such as attracting nearby small objects or causing a small spark when brought near oppositely charged objects. In summary, charging a body by friction involves rubbing two materials with different electron affinities together, transferring electrons from one object to the other, and creating a net charge on both objects.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Static Electricity

Static electricity is a familiar phenomenon where an electrical charge accumulates on an object's surface, often resulting in a static cling or even a spark. It's the kind of electricity you experience when you rub a balloon on your hair and it sticks to the wall, or when you shuffle your feet on a carpet and then touch a doorknob, only to receive a small shock.

The static charge is created through an imbalance of electrons, which are the tiny particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. Usually, materials are electrically neutral because they have an equal number of positively charged protons and negatively charged electrons. However, when certain materials come into contact through friction, electrons may move from one material to the other. This shift results in one object gaining electrons and becoming negatively charged, while the other loses electrons and becomes positively charged.

This behavior is especially noticeable in dry environments, where moisture levels are low, and materials do not conduct electric charge as well, allowing for a greater build-up of static electricity.

Triboelectric Series

The Triboelectric series is a vital tool for understanding how different materials will behave when they come into contact and are then separated. Rank-ordered from positive to negative, the series predicts which materials are more likely to give up electrons (become positively charged) and which are more likely to gain electrons (become negatively charged) during friction.

When looking at the Triboelectric series, it's essential to select materials that are far apart on the list to maximize the electron transfer and thus the static charge. For instance, glass and silk are quite far apart on the series. When rubbed together, glass tends to lose electrons and become positively charged, while silk gains those electrons and becomes negatively charged.

The Triboelectric series not only helps with understanding static electricity in everyday life but also plays a significant role in various industrial applications where control of static charge is crucial.

Electron Transfer

Electron transfer is the process that lies at the heart of charging by friction. Electrons are negatively charged particles that reside in the outer shell of an atom and can be transferred from one material to another during frictional contact.

It's this movement of electrons that determines whether an object will be positively or negatively charged after friction. The direction and quantity of electron transfer depend on the materials' nature and position in the Triboelectric series. Materials that are more likely to gain electrons in a frictional interaction will become negatively charged, while those that are more likely to lose electrons will become positively charged.

Understanding this process can be especially important in preventing unwanted static discharge in sensitive environments, such as electronics manufacturing or flammable atmospheres, where a static shock could have serious consequences.

Electric Charge

Electric charge is a fundamental property of matter that explains the electromagnetic interaction. It comes in two types: positive and negative. Protons have a positive charge, electrons have a negative charge, and neutrons are neutral.

The law of electric charges states that like charges repel each other and unlike charges attract each other. This principle is observable in everyday life when charged objects interact: two charged balloons may repel, or a negatively charged balloon may attract a positively charged plastic rod.

When charging by friction, objects usually start electrically neutral. Once rubbed, if one object ends up with an excess of electrons, it holds a negative charge, while the object with fewer electrons holds an equivalent positive charge. The net electric charge of an object determines its interaction with other charged and neutral objects in its vicinity.

Describe how we can charge a body by friction.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understand Charging by Friction

Explore the Triboelectric Series

Choose the Materials

Rub the Objects Together

Separate the Objects

Key Concepts

Static Electricity

Triboelectric Series

Electron Transfer

Electric Charge

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