7

Science
Quarter 3 – Module 7:
Let’s Charge In!
Science – Grade 7
Quarter 3 – Module 7: Let’s Charge In!
First Edition, 2020

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 7

Science
Quarter 3 – Module 7:
Let’s Charge In!
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:
As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to
use this module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress
while allowing them to manage their own learning at home.
Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist the learners as
they do the tasks included in the module.

For the learner:

As a learner, you must learn to become responsible of your own
learning. Take time to read, understand, and perform the different
activities in the module.
As you go through the different activities of this module be
reminded of the following:
1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any
part of the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the
exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer Let Us Try before moving on to the other
activities.
3. Read the instructions carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking
your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are done.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this
module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always
bear in mind that you are not alone. We hope that through this material,
you will experience meaningful learning and gain deep understanding
of the relevant competencies. You can do it!

ii
 Let Us Learn

A wonderful day to you little scientist! In this module, you will learn the
different methods of charging. You shall learn how each charging process is
being described in this module.

Specifically, you are expected to describe the different types of charging

methods:
o Charging by Friction;
o Charging by Conduction; and
o Charging by Induction.

Let Us Try!

Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. Which of the following describes charging a conductor by bringing a

charged object near it?
A. Induction C. Polarization
B. Neutralization D. Conduction

2. What charging method is demonstrated when a rubber balloon is

rubbed with hair?
A. Friction C. Conduction
B. Grounding D. Induction

3. What method is described by charging an object without touching it?

A. Conduction C. Induction
B. Grounding D. Friction

4. What method of charging is evident when a negatively charged rod

touches a conductor?
A. Friction C. Conduction
B. Induction D. Convection

5. Which of the following describes transferring charges between objects

by rubbing?
A. Charging by Induction C. Static Discharge
B. Charging by Friction D. Grounding

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 Let Us Study

In this module, we will consider different methods of charging.

Charging
Charging is a process of increasing the excess electrical charge of an
object by gaining or losing electrons. If an electrically neutral object loses
electrons, it becomes positively charged. On the other hand, if it gains
electrons, it becomes negatively charged. The build-up of excess charges
on an object is called static electricity.
Charging can be done by either of these methods – charging by
friction, charging by contact, and charging by induction.

Conductors and Insulators

The transfer of charges and its distribution is dependent if an object
is an electrical conductor or an insulator.
Conductors are materials that allow excess charges to flow freely
through its atoms. These materials store excess charges on its surface.
Insulators are materials that hold charges fixed in the parts of the
object. Hence, excess charges do not freely flow in insulators.

How Do Charges Interact?

Remember that atoms (Figure 1) contain charged particles called
electrons, which carry negative charges, and protons, which carry positive
charges. Excess of either of these charges in the object makes it charged.

Figure 1. A lithium atom (3 protons) model with

the charges labeled. Created by JIMBLOM. From
SparkFun Electronics. https://bit.ly/3tHLFv5

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 Charged objects can either push or pull each other following the
Electrostatic Law. The law states that similar charges repel while opposite
charges attract (Figure 2). Hence, similarly charged objects repel each
other. While, oppositely charged objects attract each other. In an atom,
electrons are attracted to the protons. Neutron has no net charge.

Figure 3. Electrostatic Attraction and Repulsion. Created

by Seiwert. From Pressbooks. https://bit.ly/3a3tFnn

Law of Conservation of Charge

The total charges between interacting materials remains the same.
That is, during charging, if one object gains electrons, the other loses
(Figure 2). Charges cannot be created nor be destroyed but can be
transferred from one material to another. Thus, total charge is constant.
transfer of
electrons

Figure 2. Transfer of electrons between objects. Adapted from Paul Peter Urone, Roger Hinrichs. From OpenStax.
https://bit.ly/3jy2TGU

Methods of Charging

Charging by Friction
When two materials are rubbed together, electrons may be
transferred due to friction. A material losing electron becomes positively
charged and a material gaining electron becomes negatively charged.
Again, as illustrated in Figure 2, an amber and a cloth are initially
electrically neutral. When rubbed together, the cloth transferred some of
its electrons to amber. Hence, the cloth becomes positively charged and
the amber becomes negatively charged.

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 By rubbing various materials Table 1. Triboelectric Series
Silicon
against each other and testing their
Plastic
resulting interaction with objects of Brass
Rubber
known charge, the materials can Amber
Wood
then be ordered according to their Paper
Aluminum
tendencies of keeping its electrons. Silk
Wool
Such an ordering of substances is
Glass
known as a triboelectric series (Table Hair
Adapted from Fundamental theories and basic principles
1). of triboelectric effect: A review - Scientific Figure on
ResearchGate. https://bit.ly/3cSLyqE

The property of material describing its tendencies from keeping its

electrons is called electron affinity. Materials shown higher on Table 1 has
greater electron affinity than those below it. Hence, when any two materials
in the table are rubbed together, the one that is higher can be expected to
pull electrons from the material that is lower. The materials highest on the
table will have the greatest tendency to be negatively charged. Those below
it would likely become positively charged.

Charging by Conduction
Charging by conduction is the transfer of charges from a charged
conductor to another conductor by physically touching the two conductors.
Consider a negatively charged metal rod touching the neutral metal
sphere (Figure 4). Some of the electrons from the rod flow to the metal
sphere (Figure 4a). In turn, the neutral metal sphere has now become
negatively charged (Figure 4b).
a. b.

Figure 4. Electrons flow from charged metal rod to neutral metal sphere

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What happens if, instead, a positively charged metal rod is touching a
neutral metal sphere (Figure 5)? In this case, some of the electrons from
the sphere flow to the rod (Figure 5a). This makes the rod less positively
charged. Consequently, the neutral metal sphere has now become
positively charged (Figure 5b).
a. b.

Figure 5. Electrons flow from neutral metal sphere to charged metal rod

General Ideas about Charging by Conduction involving Two

Conducting Objects:
1. Charging by conduction can only occur between conductors.
Though, in some cases, charging by conduction seems to occur
between an insulator and a conductor but that is not the case.
It is a charging by lightning which shall not yet be dealt in this
module.
2. When a charged object touches a neutral object, both objects
would have the same charge.
3. When two charged objects touch each other; the total charge of
the two objects would be conserved and the charges would be
distributed between them. If two objects have same amount
opposing charges are touched, they would become neutral.
4. If the amount of charges is not equal between the two objects,
then, after contact, they would both electrically charged.
5. If the objects are spheres, sharing of the total excess charge
would be based on their surface area. The greater the surface
area, the greater the shared excess charges. When the spheres
are identical, then they would equally share the excess charges.

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Charging by Induction
Charging by induction is a.
neutral metal
charging a conducting object by any spheres
charged object without physically
touching each other. insulating
To illustrate, consider two material

neutral metal spheres that are in

b.
contact with each other but
positively
insulated from any other objects polarized
charged
spheres
(Figure 6a). When positively charged rod

rod is brought near the sphere on

the left, polarization occurs. Some of
the sphere’s electrons are attracted
c.
to the positively charged rod. This isolated
charges on
makes the surface closer to the rod each sphere
more negatively charged while the
other opposite surface to be more
positively charged (Figure 6b).

d.
Polarization is the separation of
the positive charges and negative
charges by inducing the movement redistributed charges on
the surface of each
of electrons towards one side of an distantly separated
object. spheres
Figure 6. Charging two metal spheres by induction

When spheres are separated before the rod is removed, the sphere
closer to the rod has become negatively charged while the other has
become positively charged (Figure 6c). When the rod is removed and the
spheres are distantly separated, the excess charges are redistributed on
the surfaces of each spheres (Figure 6d).

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 Another way of charging a a.
neutral conducting sphere is by negatively polarized sphere
using a ground connection or charged rod
grounding. That is, a conducting wire
is connected from the sphere to the
ground.
Consider a negatively charged
rod brought near a neutral metal b.
sphere (Figure 7). The presence of
the charged rod polarizes the sphere flow of
(Figure 7a). When a ground wire is electrons
connected between the sphere and
the Earth’s ground, electrons from
the sphere flow to the ground (Figure wire
ground
7b). The ground wire is then
disconnected from the sphere before c.
the charged rod is removed. The
sphere has an excess of induced
positive charges facing the charged
rod (Figure 7c). Finally, when the rod
is removed, the excess positive
charges would rearrange on the
surface of the sphere (Figure 7d).
Note that in both processes of d.
charging by induction, the charged
rod loses none of its excess charges.
The rod is only used to induce
charges from a neutral conducting
object.

Figure 7. Charging by induction using ground

connection

How does grounding work?

When a charged object is connected to a large neutral object, such
as the Earth, the charged object becomes grounded and loses its excess
charge. If the charged object was positively charged, electrons from the
ground flow into the charged object (Figure 8a). On the other hand, if the
object was negatively charged, electrons flow from the charged object to
the ground.

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Figure 8. Flow of electrons depends on the excess charges of the charged object when grounded

Static Discharge
Over time, charged object loses its excess charges due to static
discharge. This happens as excess electric charges transfer from the
charged object to another. For example, if your hair becomes charged and
sticks up after taking off your sweater, it does not stay that way forever.
Charged objects gradually share its excess charges to the surrounding air.
Eventually, the charged objects become electrically neutral.
Static discharge may sometimes produces light which we call spark.
This happens because streaming electrons collide with the air molecules
along its path. The collision, then, heats up the air molecules until it glow.
This phenomenon is dependent on the amount of excess charges the
charged object has to discharge. That is, the greater the excess charges
being discharged, the more observable the spark would be. During less
humid weather condition, when air has less moisture, sparks may mostly
be observed. This is because charged objects stay charged longer and
gather more excess charges.
Lightning is a phenomenon involving static discharge. Powerful
sparks are observed due to discharge of abundant amount of excess
charges. Lightning happens when two electrically charged clouds or the
ground share charges to temporarily neutralize themselves.

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 Let Us Practice

Activity 1: Sticky Balloons

Objective: To describe how two objects interact each other when charged

Direction: Prepare the listed materials and carefully follow the procedure.
Then, answer the questions using a separate sheet of paper.

Materials: rubber balloon (or plastic comb) & tiny pieces of paper

Procedure:
1. Blow air to the balloon and tie it.
2. Hold the balloon about two (2) centimeters away from your hair or
pieces of paper.
What do you notice? _____________________________________________
3. Rub your hair with the balloon.
4. Now hold the balloon and repeat step 2.
What do you see?
___________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Question:
1. What did you do to make your hair or the pieces of paper stick to the
balloon?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
2. After charging, what do you think were the excess charges on the
balloon? Why?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Congratulations for passing your first activity. The next activity will aid you
in understanding the key concepts of this lesson.

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 Let Us Practice More

Activity 2A: Complete conduct

Direction: Using the words inside the box below, fill in the blanks to best
describe the process of charging by conduction. Write your answer on a sheet
of paper.

touching conduction same

Aside from charging by friction, neutral object can be charged by (1)

____________________. You can charge a neutral object by
(2)___________________ it with a charged conducting object. When an object is
charged by conduction, it takes the (3)___________________ charge as the
sample used to charge it.

Activity 2B: Fill in Charge

Direction. Complete the sentences by using the scrambled letters inside the
box below to form the word that best describes or completes the sentence.
Write your answer on a sheet of paper.

TCNOATC SITPOPOE ONDUCTINI DGRUNINOG

1. Aside from charging by friction and conduction, charging by

_______________ could also be done.
2. In charging by induction, the objects are charged without direct
_______________.
3. Connecting a charged object to the earth’s surface is called
_______________.
4. The induced charge is always _______________________ to the inducing
charge.

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Good job for making this far. The activities that you have encountered and
performed will enrich your understanding about the goal of this module.
The next section will refresh your minds on the key concepts used in this
module.

Let Us Remember

Charging by friction is the transfer of electrons from an object to another

by rubbing the two objects together. Some electrons can move to the other
object when rubbing, like in the case of rubbing a balloon with your hair.

Charging by conduction is the transfer of electrons from a charged

conducting object to another by direct physical contact.

Charging by induction is the polarization of a neutral conducting object by

rearranging the distribution of its charges because of the presence of a
charged object nearby. The induced charges are located on the opposite
surfaces of the conducting material.

Polarization is the process of separating the positive charges from the

negative charges by inducing the movement of electrons towards one side of
a conducting object.

Grounding refers to provide an electrical connection between charged object

and Earth’s ground.

Conductors are materials allow flow of charges in it. Polarization occurs in

these materials. The excess charges are distributed on its surfaces.

Insulators are materials that do not allow flow of charges in it.

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 Let Us Assess

Read the questions carefully. Choose the letter of the BEST answer and write
it on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following statements defines polarization?

A. The object gains a positive or negative charge from another object.
B. The charges in a neutral object separate due to a nearby charged
object.
C. The charges flow from a charged object to a neutral object due to
attraction of charges.
D. Two objects attract each other because they are both charged.

2. What type of charging is described when a charged balloon is brought

near a metal rod but DOES NOT touch each other?
A. Conduction C. Convection
B. Friction D. Induction

3. What type of charging is described when a neutral aluminum ball is

brought near a charged balloon?
A. Induction C. Polarization
B. Neutralization D. Conduction

4. What is described when a wire is connected charged object and Earth?

A. Charging C. Draining
B. Grounding D. Induction

5. What charges are induced on the side of a conducting sphere facing a

negatively charged rod?
A. positive C. proton
B. negative D. electrons

6. What happens between two insulating objects with similar excess

charges placed near each other?
A. They repel. C. They polarized.
B. They attract. D. They induced charges.

7. What would the excess charges be in a plastic comb after rubbing with
hair?
A. electrons C. negative
B. protons D. positive

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8. When can you say that a large amount of static discharge has occurred?
A. When heat is released
B. When spark is observed.
C. When different colors are seen.
D. When the object begins to rapidly spin.

9. Which of the following materials can its excess charges easily flow?
A. Glass C. Metal
B. Rubber D. Plastic

10. Which charging is involved when a copper sphere is electrically polarized

by a nearby charged comb?
A. Friction C. Convection
B. Induction D. Conduction

11. What causes a rubber balloon to be attracted with your hair after being
rubbed together.
A. Friction C. Polarization
B. Static electricity D. Static discharge

12. A positively charged balloon is brought near a

neutral conducting sphere (Figure 9). While the
balloon is near, the sphere is grounded.
What is the direction of the flow of electrons?
A. Into the sphere from the ground
B. Out of the sphere into the ground
C. Into the sphere from the balloon
D. Out of the sphere into the balloon Figure 9

13. A positively charged piece of Styrofoam is placed on the table. A neutral

aluminum pie plate is brought near (Figure 10). While held above the
Styrofoam, the aluminum plate is touched (grounded). What is the
direction of the flow of electrons?

Figure 10. Adapted from Tom Henderson, The Physics Classroom. https://bit.ly/3aLGmCm
A. out of the aluminum plate into the ground (hand)
B. into the aluminum plate from the ground (hand)
C. into the aluminum plate from the Styrofoam
D. out of the aluminum plate into the Styrofoam

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14. A negatively charged metal rod is connected to a neutral metal sphere.
What will the metal sphere become?
A. electrically neutral C. positively charged
B. negatively charged D. polarized

15. A neutral metal sphere is touched by a positively charged metal rod.

Between the two objects, which would share its electrons?
A. rod C. sphere
B. ground D. atom

Let Us Enhance

Activity 3: In Contact (Adapted from Urone and Hinrichs, Electrical

Charges, Conservation of Charge, and Transfer of Charge 2020)

Objective: To investigate the repulsion and attraction caused by static

electrical charge.

Direction: Prepare the listed materials and carefully follow the procedure.
Then, answer the questions using a separate sheet of paper.

Materials: Adhesive tape (preferably, Scotch Magic Tape™)

Non-conducting surface such as a plastic table or chair
Procedure:
Part A
1. Prepare two pieces of tape about 4 cm long. To make a handle, extend
about 0.5 cm at one end so that the sticky side sticks together.

Figure 12

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2. Attach the pieces of tape side by side onto an insulating surface, such
as a plastic tabletop or the seat of a chair, as shown in Figure 12a.
3. Peel off both pieces of tape and hang them downward, holding them by
the handles, as shown in Figure 12b. If the tape bends upward and
sticks to your hand, try using a shorter piece of tape, or simply shake
the tape so that it no longer sticks to your hand.
4. Now, slowly bring the two pieces of tape together, as shown in Figure
12c. What do you observe?
_____________________________________________________________________

Part B
5. Stick one piece of tape on the nonmetallic surface and stick the second
piece of tape on top of the first piece, as shown in Figure 13a.

Figure 13

6. Slowly peel off the two pieces by pulling on the handle of the bottom
piece.
7. Gently stroke your finger along the top of the second piece of tape (i.e.,
the non-sticky side), as shown in Figure 13b.
8. Peel the two pieces of tape apart by pulling on their handles, as shown
in Figure 13c.
9. Slowly bring the two pieces of tape together. What do you observe?
____________________________________________________________________

Congratulations for completing this module. The information that you have
acquired enhances your understanding on the lessons of this module.

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 Let Us Reflect

Knowing how charges affect us and our surroundings is essential in

our understanding of some phenomena. Now, from describing why lightning
occurs to explaining why your hair tends to stick with your comb can be
done to your friends and to younger member of the family. That, some events
that we see are, in fact, influenced by tiny invisible charged carrying
particles. Here, we have learned how to charge objects and see how the
charged objects interact with other materials.
Our understanding of how charges can affect materials could provide
us opportunity to use it to make our lives more convenient. And, there is a
need to accurately control these charges to develop more our existing
technologies such as electrophotography, powder coating, materials
separation, and industrial hazards. Hence, our journey in learning static
electricity has just begun.

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Answer Key

17
 References

Henderson, Tom. 2021. Charging by Induction. Accessed 2021.

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/estatics/Lesson-
2/Charging-by-Induction.

Pan, Shuaihang, and Zhinan Zhang. 2018. "Fundamental theories and basic
principles of triboelectric effect: A review." ResearchGate. Accessed
2021.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326959935_Fundamental
_theories_and_basic_principles_of_triboelectric_effect_A_review.

Physics Tutorials Organization. n.d. Types of Charging with Examples.

Accessed 2021.
https://www.physicstutorials.org/home/electrostatics/types-of-
charging.

Seiwert, Cindy. 2021. Chemistry. Accessed 2021.

https://humanbiology.pressbooks.com/chapter/chemistry/.

SparkFun Electronics. 2021. What is Electricity? Accessed 2021.

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/what-is-electricity/flowing-
charges.

Urone, Paul Peter, and Roger Hinrichs. 2020. Electrical Charges,

Conservation of Charge, and Transfer of Charge. March 26. Accessed
2021. https://openstax.org/books/physics/pages/18-1-electrical-
charges-conservation-of-charge-and-transfer-of-charge.
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Telephone: (082) 227 4762

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