Define static electricity.
The buildup of electric charge on the surface of objects.
True or false: Static electricity can cause shocks.
TRUE
Commonly experienced when touching metal after walking on a carpet.
What causes static electricity?
It is caused by the transfer of electrons between materials.
Fill in the blank: Electrons are ______ charged particles.
negatively
Define electric field.
A region around a charged object where other charges experience a force.
What is the direction of an electric field?
From positive to negative charges.
True or false: Electric fields can exist in a vacuum.
TRUE
Electric fields do not require a medium to propagate.
What is the unit of electric field strength?
Newtons per coulomb (N/C).
Fill in the blank: The force on a charge in an electric field is ______ proportional to the field strength.
directly
Define conductors.
Materials that allow electric charge to flow easily, like metals.
What is a dielectric?
An insulating material that can be polarized by an electric field.
True or false: Insulators do not allow electric charge to flow.
TRUE
Common insulators include rubber and glass.
Fill in the blank: Coulomb’s law describes the force between two ______ charges.
point
What happens to electric field strength as distance increases?
It decreases with the square of the distance.
Define polarization.
The separation of charges within an object, causing one side to be more positive or negative.
What is the effect of electric fields on charged particles?
They exert a force that can cause movement.
Fill in the blank: A positive charge in an electric field moves ______ the field direction.
in the same
Define equipotential surfaces.
Surfaces where the electric potential is the same at every point.
What is the relationship between electric field and potential difference?
Electric field is the gradient of potential difference.
True or false: Electric fields can be visualized using field lines.
TRUE
Field lines show direction and strength of the field.
What happens when insulators are rubbed together?
- Electrons are transferred
- Object loses electrons → positive charge
- Object gains electrons → negative charge
Insulators hold charge because electrons cannot move.
What occurs when conductors are rubbed together?
- Electrons flow freely
- Objects remain neutral
Charge depends on the materials involved.
What is the definition of sparking?
Electrons jump through the air from negative → positive object
Happens when enough charge builds up and objects are close but not touching.
What are electrostatic forces?
- Charged objects attract or repel each other
- Force increases if charges are larger
- Force increases if objects are closer (force ∝ 1/d²)
It is a non-contact force (objects do not need to touch).
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4.2.1 Current, potential difference and resistance53
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4.2.4 Energy transfers21
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4.2.3 Domestic uses and safety13
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4.2.5 Static electricity29
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4.4.1 Atoms and isotopes35
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4.4.2 Atoms and nuclear radiation46
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4.4.3 Hazards and uses of radioactive emissions and of background radiation (Physics GCSE only)31
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4.4.4 Nuclear fission and fusion (Physics GCSE only)29
