11. A hard-rubber or plastic comb rubbed against wool can often be shown to have a static charge. Why does a metal comb not readily show a static charge when rubbed against wool? Use 3 - 4 complete sentences in your answer.

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Physics

Eve Rose

11 June, 18:24

11. A hard-rubber or plastic comb rubbed against wool can often be shown to have a static charge. Why does a metal comb not readily show a static charge when rubbed against wool? Use 3 - 4 complete sentences in your answer.

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Answers (1)

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Kaylen Roberts · Answer 1

A hard rubber plastic comb is made out of rubber so it doesn't conduct electricity. This means that it is an insulator. Unlike a conductor (a metal comb), an insulator keeps the electrons at the place of where it was rubbed instead of equally distributing them around the surface of the comb.

In a metal comb, the charges within the comb move around while in the rubber comb they can't move around because in an insulator, it doesn't allow the movement of charges.