All Textbook Topics - Electric Charge - Electric Charge Introduction - A solid object gains a charge by negative charges transferring between objects. Positive charges cannot move in a solid.

A solid object gains a charge by negative charges transferring between objects. Positive charges cannot move in a solid.

When two objects rub together, you will get a transfer of negative charges due to friction between the objects. A common example of this is rubbing a plastic (acetate) rod with a cloth:

Here is a diagram showing the physics of how the negative charges on the rod move/transfer to the cloth:

And here is a full version of the diagram, showing all the positive and negative charges on both the rod and the cloth

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An electric field is a region where an electric charge will experience a force
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Friction is the force acting between insulators (such as plastic rods) when they are rubbed together which can cause negative charges to transfer and create charged objects

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