The Analysis of the Charging Process and Coulombs Law

Chris Dominique D. Enriquez1, Deus Lean B. Grafane2, Kit Orlan Lemuel C. Nacion3*, Jennifer A.
Matabang4, Marelle Anne Montalla5, Dianne Joy Cathyrine V. Sanchez6, Alethea Diana P. Villa7
1
Department of Industrial Engineering, CEAT UP Los Baos
2
Department of Electrical Engineering, CEAT, UP Los Baos
3
Department of Civil Engineering, CEAT UP Los Baos
4
Department of Industrial Engineering, CEAT, UP Los Baos
5
Department of Industrial Engineering, CEAT, UP Los Baos
6
Department of Civil Engineering, CEAT, Up Los Baos
7
Department of Industrial Engineering, CEAT, UP Los Baos
*Corresponding author:

Abstract
This study aims to demonstrate the existence of electrostatic force between
charges and how charges are produced. By performing different charging
processes, where the transfer of charges is dependent based on the materials
electron affinity, and by using electroscope and Van de Graaff, the principle like
charges repel; unlike charges attract governing electrostatics is demonstrated.
Attraction is observed to exist between objects of different charge while repulsion
is observed between two objects having the same charge. Given this behaviour
of charges, how the nature of electric charges affects electrostatic force and how
Coulombs Law applies to charged objects was shown.
Keywords: electrostatic force, charging process, electron affinity

1. Introduction
Electric charge (positive and negative) is a fundamental property of matter and the foundation for electricity. Most
things are electrically neutral; they have equal amounts of positive and negative charge. The process of gaining and
losing of electron is called charging. Objects can be charged through friction, direct contact, conduction, and induction.
A device called Van de Graaff can also make static electricity. Electrons are transferred from the device into the person
touching the device.
Protons and electrons create electric fields; the farther away they are from each other, the less force their electric
fields have on each other. Electric field exert a force called the Coulomb force. The French physicist Charles Augustine
de Coulomb performed a series of experiments involving electric charges, and eventually established what is
nowadays known as Coulomb's law. According to this law, the force acting between two electric charges is radial,
inverse-square, and proportional to the product of the charges. Two like charges repel one another, whereas two unlike
charges attract.
The experiments will show the forces present between charged systems using different processes of charging and
demonstrate electrostatic phenomenon using electroscope and Van de Graff generator.

2. Methodology
In order to test how the given objects acquires charges, the group performed a series of experiments. First they
used materials such as plastic rod, and tissue bits. The plastic rod is rubbed with tissue paper then placed it near the
bits of tissue paper in order then recorded the result. Afterwards they tried rubbing a metal rod instead of the plastic
one. They then recorded the difference of effects between the reaction of the tissue bits towards the rubbed plastic and
metal rods.
The next experiment was done by placing two plastic sheets with their surfaces facing each other and comparing
them with another two sheets of plastic except this time, the sheets were rubbed with tissue paper going in one
direction. The differences were then recorded and analyzed and recorded.
The third experiment required tissue bits and then placing a plastic sheet on top of them. The next step was then
to rub the plastic sheet with tissue paper and again placing them against the tissue bits with the rubbed side facing
towards the tissue bits. This was repeated but this time, the rubbed area was touched by a member of the group. The
differences in the reaction of the tissue bits among these three steps were then recorded.

The fourth experiment was done with an electroscope which had a metal knob at its top and connected to two foil
sheets with their surfaces facing each other. A plastic sheet was used four times. First, it was just placed near the metal
knob on the electroscope then recorded the results. For the second time, the plastic sheet was rubbed with plastic and
placed near the metal knob then recorded the results. Third, the rubbed plastic sheet was previously placed near the
metal knob was removed then observed the reaction of the foils then recorded it. Fourth is we let rubbed plastic sheet
touched the metal knob and recorded the results. Lastly the we place the touched the rubbed plastic sheet then placed
it near the metal knob and recorded the results.
The fifth experiment required us to place a tissue paper pom-pom on the Van de Graff generator. After it was
settled. We rotated the handle of the generator and observed the reaction of the tissue pom-pom while the handle was
rotating.

3. Results and Discussions

In these experiments, there is are phenomenon took place in order for these result to happen. In table 1.1.
Observation
Rubbed plastic rod Tissue bits are attracted to the plastic rod
near the tissue bits
Rubbed metal rod
There is no reaction between the rubbed metal rod and
near the tissue bits the tissue paper.
after touching the
plastic sheet
Table 1.1 Observation done in rubbing the rods
The tissue bits are attracted to the rubbed plastic rod because of the electrons gained by the plastic rod from the
rubbing material. These electrons are transferred from the rubbing material to the plastic rod because of the different
electron affinity between the two. Electron affinity is described as the difficulty of removing electrons from the nuclei
of the atom implying the more affinity the material, the less chance of electron will be removed otherwise the more
chance of removing of electrons. The rubbing material has a lower affinity thus the electrons are transferred to the
plastic rod which have a higher electron affinity. Due this, the plastic rod is now a charged to be precise, negatively
charge. This charged object is moved near to an uncharged tissue bits which causes electric field to the tissuean
insulator making it polarized. Polarization means that the charges of the material will be separated from each sides
creating a dipole momentwhere one side is positive while the opposite side is negative. The positive side of the
tissue bits will be attracted to the negatively charged plastic rod causing the attraction of tissue bits to the plastic rod.
The tissue bits are not attracted to the rubbed metal rod after touching the plastic sheet because the electrons gained
by the metal rod are transferred from the plastic sheet making the metal rod neutralsame with the tissue bits thus no
reaction.
Observation
Plastic sheets
There is no reaction between plastic sheets.
close and facing
each other
Rubbed plastic
The plastic sheets are repelling each other
sheets near close
and facing each
other
Table 1.2 Observation done on the hanging plastic sheets
In table 1.2 the two unrubbed plastic sheets have no reaction towards each other because the plastic sheets are
uncharged (neutral) thus no attraction happened. Once the two sheets are rubbed on a rubbing the material, due to
different affinities of the rubbing material and the plastic sheet, the electrons were transferred to the plastic sheets
making the two sheets negatively charged. When two object of the same charged are placed near on the other, they
actually cause repulsion which is evident to the two rubbed plastic sheets.
Observation

Plastic sheet on top

There are no attraction between the plastic sheet and
of bits
tissue bits.
Rubbed plastic sheet
The tissue bits are attracted to the plastic sheet.
on top of bits
Touched plastic
The attraction of the tissue bits to plastic are gone.
sheet on top of bits
Table 1.3 Observation done on the tissue bits
In table 1.3, with the tissue bits placed on the table and the uncharged plastic sheet close to the bits, no attraction
or repulsion occurs. Although, once a charge is induced through the rubbing of tissue paper on the said plastic sheet,
the plastic sheet attracts the tissue bits. Furthermore, if the charged plastic sheet is touched by a conductor, a human
in this case, the induced charge is neutralized and the attractive forces between the tissue bits and plastic sheet
disappears.
Observation
Plastic sheet near the
There is no attraction between the plastic sheet and the
metal knob
knob
Rubbed plastic sheet
The metal foils repelled each other.
near the metal knob
Removed rubbed
The repelling action between the metal foils removed
plastic sheet away
the metal knob
Rubbed plastic sheet
The metal foils repelled each other.
touching the metal
knob
Touched rubbed
The repelling action is removed
plastic sheet near the
metal knob
Table 1.4 Observation done on the electroscope
In table 1.4, Placing the rubbed plastic sheet near the knob of the electroscope makes it charged this is because
of the induced charges generated through induction. The electroscope can also be charged by touching the rubbed
plastic sheet to the knob; the charges were produced due to the flow of electrons from one object to another this is
called conduction. The difference between conduction and induction can be observed when the rubbed plastic sheet
is moved away from the knob. As soon as the rubbed plastic sheet is moved away after the induction happens, the
foils go back to its original position and the induced charges disappear because the charged object that repels or attracts
the electrons also disappear. However, the foils still remain repelled from each other after conduction because the foils
are still charged, unless a grounding object is introduced.
Observation
Tissue paper pom-pom
The strands of tissue move upwards
Table 1.5 Observation done on the Van de Graff
In table 1.5, initially, there is no net charge in the Van de Graff generator. As soon as the crank rotates, the net
charge increases with the help of triboelectric effect. The triboelectric effect happens when two dissimilar objects
transfer some electrons to each other through conduction. During discharging of the Van de Graff generator through
the grounding object, which is a ball touching the generator, there is a transfer of charge from the generator dome to
the grounding ball, removing the net charge from the dome.

4. Conclusions and Recommendations

In this experiment, the net charge of an electrically neutral body was determined by the use of different objects.
One of these is by charging an object by means of friction. Generally, charging by friction is done by rubbing two
objects briskly. One of the object will gain electrons, the other will lose electrons. That is, charging can be defined as
the transfer of electrons from a body to another. From what we have observed during the experiment, there are objects
that has no attraction at all even there is occurrence of rubbing, there are objects that attract each other, and there are

objects that repel each other. All of these is due to the net charge produced during the interaction. Liked charges repel,
opposite charges attract, and neutral charges produces no attraction.
It was also determined that charging by friction is more efficient in insulators than with conductors. Since
conductors permit free movement of the electrons around its body, upon rubbing it with another object, the net charge
produced is rapidly being neutralized. This is evident in the first part of the experiment where the metal rod was rubbed
with tissue paper. The metal rod, upon placing near the tissue bits, does not attract neither repel the tissue bits. Hence,
both the objects has a net charge of zero. Furthermore, the electrostatic phenomenon was also observed using
electroscope and Van de Graff generator. Generally, this shows the difference of charging an object by induction and
conduction. Wherein charging by induction does not involve touching of the objects that is being charge, while
charging by conduction involves the contact of a charged object and a neutral object.
The experimentalists recommends to the future generation who would do this experiment that every step must be
done thoroughly. Like in rubbing tissue to the plastic, it should be done briskly and not stopping, therefore, one must
be focused on the task being done, otherwise, there will be an error to the resulting data. Also, make sure that all the
objects being used are dry. It is known that water can be a conductor, thus if the objects are to become wet, the charges
will move faster and it will result to an error.

4. References
1. H. Young, A. Freedman, University Physics, 13th ed., Chapter 21, Pearson Education, Inc., San Francisco, CA,
2012.
2. http://www.livescience.com/53144-electric-charge.html
3. http://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/py106/Charge.html
4. http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/em/lectures/node28.html
5. http://wonders.physics.wisc.edu/van-de-graaff.htm