A metal component in a factory becomes negatively charged while it is held on an acrylic support. It is moved towards an earthed metal cabinet. The table shows the largest air gap at which a spark is observed for different amounts of charge on the component.
| Charge on component in nC | Largest gap with a spark in mm |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1.0 |
| 4 | 2.0 |
| 6 | 3.0 |
Two components, one with a charge of 4 nC and one with a charge of 6 nC, are each held 2.5 mm from the cabinet.
Explain which component produces a spark. Use the table and the idea of an electric field in your answer.
A component with a charge of 5 nC is moved slowly towards the cabinet.
Using the pattern in the table, predict the gap at which a spark first jumps. Explain why no spark jumps until the gap has become this small.
A technician proposes replacing the acrylic support with a conducting support connected to earth. Explain whether this change would reduce the likelihood of a spark.
80 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 11.2 Uses, dangers and electric fields, covering 11.2.1 Uses of electrostatic charge, 11.2.2 Dangers of sparking, 11.2.3 Electric fields, and 11.2.4 Electric fields and static electricity. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.