  We report on the effects of an electrical charge on mechanical loss of a
fused silica disk. A degradation of Q was seen that correlated with charge on
the surface of the sample. We examine a number of models for charge damping,
including eddy current damping and loss due to polarization. We conclude that
rubbing friction between the sample and a piece of dust attracted by the
charged sample is the most likely explanation for the observed loss.
