Imagine that you have two balloons (or, better yet, actually inflate two balloons, if possible). Create static electricity around one of the balloons by rubbing it against your hair or your sweater and then bring that balloon close to the other balloon, which has not been charged. Now, try this with at least one other object. Then, for your initial post to the discussion, answer the following questions:
What happened with the two balloons?
If the second balloon has a neutral charge, why do they attract?
What else will the charged balloon attract?
When you tried with a different object, what happened? Describe your experience and explain why the balloon did or did not attract the object.
Guide On Rating System
Vote
When I brought the charged balloon close to the neutral balloon, they attracted each other. The charged balloon pulled the neutral balloon towards it, causing them to stick together momentarily. They then repelled each other.
The reason why the two balloons attract is because of the presence of static electricity. When the charged balloon rubs against hair or a sweater, it gains excess electrons and becomes negatively charged. The neutral balloon, having an equal number of protons and electrons, is attracted to the negatively charged balloon due to the opposite charges. This attraction is temporary, as the charges distribute between the two balloons when they come in contact, causing them to repel.
The charged balloon will also attract other lightweight objects like small pieces of paper or hair strands. This is due to the same principle of opposite charges attracting each other. The lightweight objects are easily attracted to the charged balloon because they can easily acquire an opposite charge or be polarized by the electric field of the balloon.
When I tried this experiment with a different object, such as a pencil, no attraction or repulsion occurred. This is because the pencil, being made of a non-conductive material like wood, does not possess the ability to acquire a charge or be polarized like the paper or hair strands. Since the pencil remains neutral, there are no opposite charges between the balloon and the pencil, resulting in no attraction or repulsion.
Got a question with my answer?
Cheapmath.com is completely free!
Asking question is free.
Getting answers is free.
+99