Its Electric Static and Current Electricity Electricity Static

It’s Electric – Static and Current Electricity

Electricity • Static Electricity • An electric charge that builds up on an object • Current Electricity • Electricity that moves through a wire • Circuit • A path that electricity flows

Van de Graaf Generator • A Van de Graaf generator builds up a charge of static electricity that can be released. • Van de Graaf Generator

Static Electricity • On a cold day you may see a person’s hair stand up. The reason their hair stands up is because of static electricity. • Lightning is an example of static electricity; a static charge builds up in a cloud, and then the current electricity moves to the ground in the form of a lightning flash.

Current Electricity What happens when you plug a lamp into a wall outlet? • Electricity flows from wires in the wall through the plug and into the lamps wires. • Electricity that flows through the wire is current electricity. • A lamp’s bulb glows only when there is a closed circuit. • A circuit is a path that electricity follows.

How Electricity Moves • Electricity moves through some things, but not through others. • Something that electricity moves freely through is called a conductor. • Copper wire is a good conductor. • Something that electricity will not moves through easily is called an insulator. • Wood and plastics are examples of insulators. • Electricity can be dangerous, so people use insulators to stay safe.