Figure 1 Amber.
Ullsteinbild/TopFoto
Simple experiments with electrostatics can give insight into the nature of electric charge, capacitance and current. They also illustrate how our understanding of electricity has developed — an example of how science works.
Some of the effects of static electricity were known to the ancient Greeks and were eventually linked to current electricity and the flow of electrons. Static electricity provides many fascinating experiments that can easily be carried out at home or school. An understanding of the history of static electricity helps explain why we use conventional current, which is in the opposite direction to the flow of electrons.
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