A positively charged light metal ball is suspended between two oppositely charged metal plates on an insulating thread as shown below. After being charged once, the plates are disconnected from the battery. Describe the behavior of the ball.

Question

Would the ball remain in the center?

Answer 1

The plates are still charged.
You did not say that the plates were connected to each other so that the charges went away.
The positively charged ball will be attracted to the negatively charged plate.

Answer 2

I think the ball will rebound back and forth, carrying charge from one plate to the other, until the plates are discharged.
It starts like this: the + ball moves to the -plate, touches it, and becomes negative, whence it is repelled toward the + plate, touches it, discharges, becomes postive again, and moves back to the negative plate, and so on.

Answer 3

Wouldn't it be like charging a battery and the plates remain charged?

Answer 4

I have the same exact question as BAdams did in 2008! I was wondering if anyone could explain this in further detail.

A positively charged light metal ball is suspended between two oppositely charged metal plates on an insulating thread as shown below. After being charged once, the plates are disconnected from the battery. Describe the behavior of the ball.

Thank you so much!