Which term describes the accumulation of excess electric charge on an object?

Which term describes the accumulation of excess electric charge on an object?

• A. Static electricity
• B. Electrical current
• C. Magnetic field
• D. Resistance

Answer: (A)

The concept here is the build-up of electric charge on an object without it actively flowing as a current. When charges accumulate and stay in one place, we describe that as static electricity—the charge remains on the surface until it finds a way to discharge. This is different from an electrical current, which is the actual flow of charge through a conductor. It’s also not about a magnetic field, which arises from moving charges or magnets, nor about resistance, which is how much a material slows or opposes the flow of current.

The concept here is the build-up of electric charge on an object without it actively flowing as a current. When charges accumulate and stay in one place, we describe that as static electricity—the charge remains on the surface until it finds a way to discharge. This is different from an electrical current, which is the actual flow of charge through a conductor. It’s also not about a magnetic field, which arises from moving charges or magnets, nor about resistance, which is how much a material slows or opposes the flow of current.