Objectives - Static Electricity
The Minds On Physics program consists of 15 modules. Each module covers a different topic and consists of a varying number of assignments. Every assignment addresses one or two objectives. The objectives for the Static Electricity module are listed below.
- Assignment 1:
- The student should be able to identify the location and
charge of the three basic subatomic particles (electron,
proton, and neutron).
- The student should be able to identify a charged object as
having an imbalance of protons and electrons, identify the
coulomb as the unit of charge, and identify the definition of
insulators and conductors.
- Assignment 2:
- The student should be able to identify the connection
between the type of charge on an object and the type of
interaction (attractive, repulsive, or none) with other
objects.
- The student should be able to analyze known information
about the charge interactions of a system of three balloons in
order to draw a conclusion about the charge on one of the
balloons.
- Assignment 3:
- The student should be able to describe the method of
charging by friction, identify the result of frictional
charging, and explain frictional charging in terms of the
conservation of charge and the direction of electron flow.
- The student should be able to relate the electron affinity
of a material to the ultimate charge which a material acquires
during the frictional charging process.
- Assignment 4:
- The student should be able to describe the method of
contact charging, identify the result of contact charging, and
explain contact charging in terms of the conservation of charge
and the direction of electron flow.
- The student should be able to describe the grounding
process and explain grounding in terms of the direction of
electron flow.
- Assignment 5:
- The student should be able to apply an understanding of the
charging by induction method to describe the results of the
pop-can induction activity.
- The student should be able to explain the results of the
induction process by identifying the direction of the electron
flow and the subsequent charge orientation during the various
stages of the process.
- Assignment 6:
- The student should be able to apply an understanding of the
charging by induction method to describe the results of the
demonstration in which a single sphere becomes charged by
induction.
- The student should be able to explain the results of the
induction process by identifying the direction of the electron
flow and the subsequent charge orientation during the various
stages of the process.
- Assignment 7:
- The student should be able to apply an understanding of the
charging by induction method to describe the results of the
electrophorus lab.
- The student should be able to explain the results of the
induction process by identifying the direction of the electron
flow and the subsequent charge orientation during the various
stages of the process.
- Assignment 8:
- The student should have a conceptual understanding of
Coulomb's law and the factors which effect electrical
force.
- The student should be able to use Coulomb's law in order to
predict the effect of varying charge or distance upon the force
between objects.
- Assignment 9:
- The student should be able to use Coulomb's law to
calculate the electric force between two objects if given their
charges and distance of separation.
- The student should be able to algebraically manipulate the
Coulomb's law equation in order to determine the distance of
separation between two objects if given the electric force and
their charges.
- Assignment 10:
- The student should be able to define electric field and
recognize the variables which effect (and do not effect) the
electric field intensity at a given location.
- The student should be able to use electric field equations
and relatively simple numbers to determine the magnitude and
the direction of the electric field intensity at a given
location.
- Assignment 11:
- The student should be able to use the inverse square law to
predict the effect that an alteration of the distance from a
charged object would have upon the electric field
intensity.
- Assignment 12:
- The student should be able to understand the concept of
electric field lines and use their understanding to predict the
electric field lines about a point charge or a configuration of
point charges.
- The student should be able to infer information about the
quantity of charge and type of charge on an object.