Two metal spheres are hanging from nylon threads. When you bring the spheres close to each other, they tend to attract. Based on this information alone, discuss all the possible ways that the spheres could be charged. Is it possible that after the spheres touch, they will cling together? Explain.

Question

Physics

Josh Koch

21 February, 02:14

Two metal spheres are hanging from nylon threads. When you bring the spheres close to each other, they tend to attract. Based on this information alone, discuss all the possible ways that the spheres could be charged. Is it possible that after the spheres touch, they will cling together? Explain.

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Answers (1)

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Cherish Fernandez · Answer 1

In the given question, the two metal spheres were hanged with the nylon thread.

When these two spheres were brought close together, they attracted each other. The attraction between these spheres is the result of the opposite charges between them.

The possible ways by which these two metal spheres can be charged are by induction that is touching the metal or by rubbing them.

During induction, the same charges are transferred to each sphere. In this case, either both the spheres will be negatively charged or positively charged.

It is not possible that after the sphere touch each other they will cling together because the same charge repels each other and during touching, if one sphere is neutral, then the charged one will transfer the same charge. And as we know that same charge repel each other therefore they will repel each other.