Electrostatic Charging
Multiple Choice Homework
1. During a physics lab, a piece of cotton is rubbed on plastic and the cotton becomes positively charged.
The correct explanation for why the cotton becomes positively charged is that ______.
a. the cotton acquired extra protons from the plastic.
b. the cottontook electrons from the plastic.
c. protons were created as the result of the charging process.
d. the cotton lost electrons to the plastic during the charging process.
2. Saran Wrap has a larger electron affinity than Nylon. If Nylon is rubbed against Saran Wrap, which would
end up with the excess negative charge? ______Explain.______
3. A neutral metal sphere is touched by a negatively charged metal rod. During the process,
electrons are transferred from the ______to the ______and the sphere acquires a _____ charge.
a. neutral sphere, charged rod, negative
b. neutral sphere, charged rod, positive
c. charged rod, neutral sphere, negative
d. charged rod, neutral sphere, positive
4. A metal sphere is electrically neutral. It is touched by a positively charged metal rod.
As a result, the metal sphere becomes charged positively. Which of the following occur during the process?
Check all that apply.
_____ a. The metal sphere gains some protons.
_____ b. Electrons are transferred from the sphere to the rod.
_____ c. The metal sphere loses electrons.
_____ d. The overall charge of the system is conserved.
_____ e. Protons are transferred from the rod to the sphere.
_____ f. Positive electrons are moved between the two objects.
5. Suppose that a negatively charged balloon is used to charge an electroscope by induction.
After grounding the neutral electroscope, the charge on the electroscope is ______.
a. positiveb. negativec. neutrald. cannot be determined
6. A negatively charged balloon is brought near a neutral conducting sphere. As the balloon approaches the charges in
the sphere redistribute. Which picture accurately represents the overall distribution of the charge in the sphere?
a.b. c. d.