Electric Charge

An electric field is a region around a charged object where the object's electric force is exerted on other charged objects.

Because positive charges are repelled by positive charges.. and attracted to negative charges..field lines point away from positive charges and towards negative charges

Most atoms are uncharged, or neutral because the protons equal the electrons.

Uncharged objects become charged by gaining or losing electrons

Static electricity is the buildup of charges on an object

In static electricity, charges build up on an object, but they do not flow in a current

Charges are neither created nor destroyed. This is known as the law of conservation of charge.

If one object loses electrons, another object must pick them up

There are four methods by which charges can redistribute themselves: Friction, conduction, induction, polarization

Charging by friction is the transfer of electrons from one uncharged object to another by rubbing objects together

When a charged object touches another object, electrons can be transferred

This is the process of transferring electrons by direct contact

Electrons can react to the electric field of a charged object without touching the object itself. This is induction

Polarization occurs when electrons move only within their own atoms. In this case, the electrons create charged ends of the atoms