 | Term | Definition |
| |
charged |
term referring to matter having an excess of electrons (a negative charge) or a deficiency of electrons (a positive charge) |
| |
electric charge |
a property of matter having an excess of electrons (a negative charge) or a deficiency of electrons (a positive charge) |
| |
static electricity |
term referring to electric charges that are stationary, or at rest |
| |
electrostatics |
the study of electrical charges that move very little |
| |
neutral |
term referring to matter having neither a negative nor a positive electric charge |
| |
electric charge |
a property of matter having an excess of electrons (a negative charge) or a deficiency of electrons (a positive charge) |
| |
insulator |
a material that does not allow electric charges or heat to move freely on or through it |
| |
conductor |
a material that allows electric charges or heat to move freely on and through it |
| |
law of attraction and repulsion |
a law stating that like electric charges repel and unlike electric charges attract |
| |
positive charge |
charge carried by protons |
| |
negative charge |
charge carried by electrons |
| |
electroscope |
a device for detecting the presence of electric charge |
| |
induction |
the process by which an object having an electric charge produces the same charge in a neighbouring object without actually touching it |
| |
spark |
an electric discharge; caused by electrons jumping from one conductor to another through the air |
| |
ground |
to connect a conductor through some conducting material directly to the ground, or Earth |
| |
lightning |
in the sky, a flash of bright light caused by the discharge of electricity between clouds, or between clouds and the ground |
| |
lightning rod |
a metal rod or wire attached to a building to prevent lightning damage by conducting the electrons to the ground |
| |
electrostatic precipitator |
a device to control air pollution using stationary electric charges (not currents) |
