Otto von guericke electricity clip

All material objects in our world are made up of atoms. Each atom, in turn, has in the middle a positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons.

Atoms can become positively charged if they lose electrons or negatively charged if they capture extra electrons. These atoms are called ions.

Otto von guericke electricity clip

When something is made up of a number of ionized atoms, the thing itself has a charge. Because the charge itself is not moving, it is called a static charge (static means “not moving”) or “static electricity.” Negatively charge objects will attract positively charged objects.

If they get too close the electrons will jump from the negative thing back to the positive thing in the form of a spark. This is a one-time deal; the electrons do not keep flowing, which they do in “current” electricity.

If you ever rubbed your feet on a rug and touched your friends, zapping them with sparks, then you have produced static ele