manual

12
Opposites attract! The negative ball attracts the positive
paper. Here’s how:
atoms in the
plastic ball
atoms in the
woolen
clothing
Model of the atom
nucleus
orbit of
electrons
proton (positive electric charge)
neutron (neutral electric charge)
electrons (negative electric charge)
electrons
When you rub the ball with wool, electrons pass from the wool to the
ball; that charges the ball with negative static electricity because it has
more electrons than protons.
When the negatively charged ball is held close to the paper, the negative
charge naturally in the neutral paper is repelled to the bottom of the paper
and the positive charges go to the top. As a result, the positive top of the
paper and the negative ball are attracted to each other.
Everything in the universe is made up of atoms.
The bits of paper detached themselves from the ball
after a while because some electrons (negative charge)
passed from the ball to the paper. So, the negatively
charged ball and paper repelled each other. As soon as
they wer
e down again, the excess electr
ons on the paper
passed to the tabletop or the air. At that point, the
paper was neutral and again attracted to the ball.