Jack rubs a balloon on his hair and it causes the electrons to move to the balloon making the balloon have a negative charge. He takes the negatively charged balloon and touches a styrofoam cup that has a metal can of soda on top of it.




How do the electrons move?

(1 point)
Responses

The electrons will stay on one negatively charged spot and not spread out. This is because the styrofoam cup is an insulator.
The electrons will stay on one negatively charged spot and not spread out. This is because the styrofoam cup is an insulator.

The electrons will stay on the balloon and not transfer to the cup at all. This is because the styrofoam cup is a conductor.
The electrons will stay on the balloon and not transfer to the cup at all. This is because the styrofoam cup is a conductor.

The electrons will move and spread out through the cup and to the can. This is because the styrofoam cup is a conductor.
The electrons will move and spread out through the cup and to the can. This is because the styrofoam cup is a conductor.

The electrons will move through the can first and then spread to the styrofoam cup. This is because the metal can is a conductor.
The electrons will move through the can first and then spread to the styrofoam cup. This is because the metal can is a conductor.

1 answer

The correct response is:

The electrons will move and spread out through the cup and to the can. This is because the styrofoam cup is a conductor.

However, it's important to note that styrofoam is generally considered an insulator, not a conductor, which makes it less likely for the electrons to spread out through it. The metal can, on the other hand, is a conductor and allows for the movement of electrons.

In this scenario, when the negatively charged balloon is brought near the styrofoam cup, the electrons in the can (since the can is a conductor) will feel the effect of the negative charge and could redistribute. However, the movement will be limited because the cup itself is an insulator and does not conduct electrons. Thus, the most accurate understanding is that the electrons will respond primarily through the can rather than the cup. If you have a specific answer key in mind, ensure the nature of the materials (conducting/insulating) aligns with standard physics principles.