Isabella is researching how to charge objects through friction. Isabella rubs a balloon on her hair. When she pulls the balloon away from her hair, the hair is attracted to the balloon. Which BEST explains why the hair becomes attracted to the balloon?

Question

Rubbing the balloon along her hair moves protons from the balloon to her hair.
Rubbing the balloon along her hair moves protons from the balloon to her hair.

Rubbing the balloon along her hair creates protons that will stick to both the balloon and her hair.
Rubbing the balloon along her hair creates protons that will stick to both the balloon and her hair.

Rubbing the balloon along her hair creates electrons that will stick to both the balloon and her hair.
Rubbing the balloon along her hair creates electrons that will stick to both the balloon and her hair.

Rubbing the balloon along her hair moves electrons from her hair to the balloon.

Answer 1

The best explanation for why the hair becomes attracted to the balloon after rubbing it on her hair is:

Rubbing the balloon along her hair moves electrons from her hair to the balloon.

When Isabella rubs the balloon on her hair, electrons from her hair are transferred to the balloon. This transfer leaves her hair positively charged (due to the loss of negatively charged electrons) and the balloon negatively charged (due to the gain of electrons). Opposite charges attract, which is why her hair is attracted to the negatively charged balloon.