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Physics Tutorial - Charging by Conduction
Physics Tutorial - Charging by Conduction
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Charging by Conduction
Triboelectric Charging(/class/estatics/Lesson-2/Charging-by-Friction)
Charging by Induction(/class/estatics/Lesson-2/Charging-by-Induction)
Charging by Conduction
Grounding - the Removal of a Charge(/class/estatics/Lesson-2/Grounding-the-Removal-of-a-Charge)
/
The above explanation might raise a rather difficult question: Why would an electron on the previously
neutral metal sphere desire to move off the metal sphere in the first place? The metal sphere is neutral;
every electron on it must be satisfied since there is a corresponding proton present. What would possibly
induce an electron to go through the effort of migrating to a different territory in order to have what it
already has?
The best means of answering this question requires an understanding of the concept of electric potential.
But since that concept does not arise until the next unit of The Physics
Classroom(http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/index.cfm), a different approach to an answer will be
taken. It ends up that electrons and protons are not as independent and individualized as we might think.
From a human perspective, electrons and protons can't be thought of as independent citizens in a free
enterprise system of government. Electrons and protons don't actually do what is best for themselves,
but must be more social-minded. They must act like citizens of a state where the rule of law is to behave in
a manner such that the overall repulsive affects within the society at large are reduced and the overall
attractive affects are maximized. Electrons and protons will be motivated not by what is good for them,
but rather by what is good for the country. And in this sense, a country's boundary extends to the
perimeter of the conductor material that an excess electron is within. And in this case, an electron in the
metal sphere is part of a country that extends beyond the sphere itself and includes the entire aluminum
plate. So by moving from the metal sphere to the aluminum plate, an electron is able to reduce the total
amount of repulsive affects within that country. It serves to spread the excess positive charge over a
greater surface area, thus reducing the total amount of repulsive forces between excess protons.
Visit: Charging Interactive(/Physics-Interactives/Static-Electricity/Charging)
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Check Your Understanding
Use your understanding of charge to answer the following questions. When finished, click the button to
view the answers.
1. A neutral metal sphere is touched by a negatively charged metal rod. As a result, the sphere will be ____
and the metal rod will be ____. Select the two answers in their respective order.
a. positively charged
b. negatively charged
c. neutral
d. much more massive
e. ... not enough information to tell
See Answer
2. 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.
See Answer
3. A neutral metal sphere is touched by a positively charged metal rod. During the process, protons are
transferred from the _____ to the _____ and the sphere acquires a _____ charge.
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See Answer
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? List all that
apply.
See Answer
Next Section: Grounding - the Removal of a Charge(/class/estatics/Lesson-2/Grounding-the-Removal-of-a-Charge)
Jump To Next Lesson: Charge Interactions Revisited(/class/estatics/Lesson-3/Charge-Interactions-Revisited)
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