Core Practical: Investigating Charging by Friction
2 guided lessons · 18 checks · 2. Electricity → Static Electricity
Guided lessons for this note
Which concept don't you understand yet?
We'll explain it simply and check your understanding. Pick any lesson — any order works.
0 of 18 checks correct so far
Lesson 1 of 2
Apparatus, variables & method
The set-up is deliberately delicate: a polythene rod hangs from a cradle on nylon string so the smallest electrostatic nudge can swing it. Each test rod is rubbed with its own cloth and brought close without contact — any touch would drain the charge and end the experiment.
What you know already
This core practical hangs a rubbed polythene rod from a cradle and brings other rubbed rods close — never touching — to watch attraction and repulsion do the talking. Rod material is the variable under test; rubbing time, cloth and rod length are controlled. The analysis sorts polythene and acetate onto opposite charge signs.
Key points of understanding
- The experiment tests how friction charges rods of different insulating materials.
- The rod material is the independent variable; the charge gained is the dependent one.
- Rubbing time, cloth type and rod length are the controlled variables.
- A polythene rod hangs from a cradle on nylon string so it can swing freely.
- Test rods are brought near, never touched, or the charge would leak away.
Apparatus for investigating charging by friction
Choose a confidence level to continue.
Prefer to read it all at once? Show the full lesson as a page
1.Apparatus, variables & method
The set-up is deliberately delicate: a polythene rod hangs from a cradle on nylon string so the smallest electrostatic nudge can swing it. Each test rod is rubbed with its own cloth and brought close without contact — any touch would drain the charge and end the experiment.
Apparatus for investigating charging by friction
Key points
- The experiment tests how friction charges rods of different insulating materials.
- The rod material is the independent variable; the charge gained is the dependent one.
- Rubbing time, cloth type and rod length are the controlled variables.
Guided content from the SME authoring corpus — note rn_ws8NtMW3QwCs73Gh, pinned at 502107a3fcac · promoted SyllabAI/syllabai-resources b3caaaa90c5e
