What is electrostatics?
Q: What is electrostatics?
A: Electrostatics is the branch of physics that deals with stationary electric charges.
Q: What causes the buildup of charge on the surface of objects in electrostatics?
A: The buildup of charge on the surface of objects in electrostatics is caused by contact with other surfaces.
Q: When are the effects of charge exchange usually noticed in electrostatics?
A: The effects of charge exchange are usually only noticed when at least one of the surfaces has a high resistance to electrical flow.
Q: Why are the charges that transfer to or from highly resistive surfaces more noticeable in electrostatics?
A: The charges that transfer to or from highly resistive surfaces are more noticeable in electrostatics because they are trapped on the surface for a long enough time for their effects to be observed.
Q: What happens to charges that remain on an object in electrostatics?
A: Charges that remain on an object in electrostatics either bleed off to the ground or are quickly neutralized by a discharge.
Q: What is the familiar phenomenon of a static 'shock' in electrostatics caused by?
A: The familiar phenomenon of a static 'shock' in electrostatics is caused by the neutralization of charge built up in the body from contact with non-conductive surfaces.
Q: When does charge exchange occur in electrostatics?
A: Charge exchange occurs whenever any two surfaces contact and separate in electrostatics.
