Static Electricity [H]

This lesson covers static electricity — the build-up and discharge of electric charge on insulating materials. This topic is part of the AQA GCSE Physics specification (4.2.5) and is Higher Tier only content, indicated by [H]. You must understand how static charge is produced, how electric fields work, and the dangers and uses of static electricity.

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What Is Static Electricity?

Static electricity is the build-up of electric charge on the surface of an object, typically an insulator. Unlike current electricity (where charge flows continuously through a conductor), static charge stays in one place — it is "static" (stationary).

Static charge is produced by the transfer of electrons between objects when they are rubbed together (friction).

Key Principles

• All matter contains positive charges (protons in the nucleus) and negative charges (electrons orbiting the nucleus).
• In a neutral object, the number of protons equals the number of electrons — the charges balance.
• When two insulating materials are rubbed together, electrons are transferred from one surface to the other.
• The material that loses electrons becomes positively charged.
• The material that gains electrons becomes negatively charged.