Question

A scientist wipes a rubber rod with a wool cloth which leads to a negative charge on the rod. After this, the scientist touches the rod to a neutral metal sphere. This will transfer the negative charges from the rod to the sphere:



Which statement explains what will happen to the negative charge, and why?

(1 point)
Responses

It will only spread to the air around the sphere, because negative charges need to occupy a big area.
It will only spread to the air around the sphere, because negative charges need to occupy a big area.

It will slowly move to the bottom of the sphere, because the charges are heavy and will sink to the bottom.
It will slowly move to the bottom of the sphere, because the charges are heavy and will sink to the bottom.

It will spread uniformly over the surface of the sphere, because of the conducting nature of the sphere and similar charges push away from each other.
It will spread uniformly over the surface of the sphere, because of the conducting nature of the sphere and similar charges push away from each other.
It will remain only on one spot of the sphere, because the low conductivity of the metal prevents the charges from spreading out.

Answer 1

It will spread uniformly over the surface of the sphere, because the sphere is a conductor and the added electrons are free to move and repel one another. In electrostatic equilibrium the net field inside a conductor is zero, so excess charge lies on the outer surface and, for a symmetric isolated sphere, distributes uniformly.