What is Electrostatic Attraction

Introduction on What is Electrostatic Attraction
If we bring small bits of paper near a rubber or plastic comb, it is found that the comb does not attract the bits of paper. But if the same comb is first rubbed on dry hair and then it is brought near the paper pieces, it attracts them. Thus an attractive property is developed in the comb due to friction. Similarly when an ordinary glass rod and a piece of silk cloth are separately brought near the bits of paper, they do not attract the bits of paper. But if the glass rod is first rubbed with the silk cloth and then the glass rod and the silk cloth both are brought near one by one near the bits of paper, it is found that they acquire attractive property. The bodies which on rubbing acquire the property of attracting light bodies such as paper pieces etc. are said to be electrified or charged. This charge if not allowed to flow is called static electricity and the branch of electricity which studies the properties of bodies electrified due to stationary charge is called electrostatics.

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What are the kinds of Electrostatic Charge in Electrostatic Attraction


There are two kinds of electric charges

Positive charge – The charge which is same as that produced on the glass rod when it is rubbed with silk. Conventionally these bodies are called positively charged.
Negative charge – The charge which is the same as that produced on an ebonite rod when it is rubbed with fur. Conventionally these bodies are called negatively charged.

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Methods of charging for Electrostatic Attraction and examples


There are various methods of charging a conductor. They are:

Charging by conduction – A charged body is brought in contact with an uncharged body and the charges are shared.
Charging by induction – A charged body is brought in the vicinity of an uncharged body, without touching such that it gets uncharged on removal of the charged conductor.
An example which we commonly see around and are in sync with electrostatics is the Lightning conductor.