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Analysis

When an object becomes charged, which charge is transferred between the objects?

How does an object become positively charged?

How does an object become negatively charged?

In order to repel each other two objects must have _____________ charge(s).

In order to attract each other two objects must have ______________ charge(s).

When the balloon was brought near the wall, the wall technically stayed neutral, but the balloon was still attracted to the wall. How can this be explained?

1 answer

Analysis

  1. When an object becomes charged, which charge is transferred between the objects?

    • Electrons are the charge carriers that are transferred between objects. In typical interactions, such as friction, electrons move from one object to another, resulting in one object becoming negatively charged (gaining electrons) and the other becoming positively charged (losing electrons).

  2. How does an object become positively charged?

    • An object becomes positively charged when it loses electrons. This can occur through processes like friction with another object, or by coming into contact with a material that attracts electrons, such as rubbing a glass rod with silk. The loss of negatively charged electrons leaves the object with a net positive charge.

  3. How does an object become negatively charged?

    • An object becomes negatively charged when it gains electrons. This can happen through contact with a negatively charged material or through induction, whereby electrons are rearranged in the object due to the presence of a nearby charged object.

  4. In order to repel each other, two objects must have _____________ charge(s).

    • In order to repel each other, two objects must have like charges (both positive or both negative).

  5. In order to attract each other, two objects must have ______________ charge(s).

    • In order to attract each other, two objects must have opposite charges (one positive and one negative).

  6. When the balloon was brought near the wall, the wall technically stayed neutral, but the balloon was still attracted to the wall. How can this be explained?

    • This phenomenon can be explained by electrostatic induction. When the charged balloon is brought close to the neutral wall, the electric field generated by the balloon causes the electrons in the wall to redistribute. The side of the wall closest to the balloon becomes positively charged due to the movement of electrons away from that area, while the farther side remains negatively charged. The attraction occurs because the balloon's negative charge is attracted to the induced positive charges on the side of the wall nearest to it, despite the wall overall remaining neutral.