Ike conducted a scientific experiment involving clear adhesive tape. He removed two strips from a roll of adhesive tape. Then, he pressed each strip of tape, sticky-side down, on two different surfaces. He quickly removed each strip of tape from the surfaces. Lastly, he held the two strips of tape close to each other. The image below shows the interaction that occurred between the two strips of tape.

Question

If the strip on the left has a negative charge, which of the following must be true?
A.
The strip on the right also has a negative charge.
B.
The strip on the right has a positive charge.
C.
The strip on the right has a charge, but it could be positive or negative.
D.
The strip on the right does not have a charge.

Answer 1

Based on the information provided, if the strip on the left has a negative charge, the correct answer is:

B. The strip on the right has a positive charge.

This is because objects with opposite charges attract each other, while objects with the same charge repel each other. Since the strip on the left is negatively charged, the strip on the right must have a positive charge (or at least a lesser negative charge) to explain the interaction shown when they are brought close together.