Question

Two neutral metal spheres on wood stands are touching. A negatively charged rod is held directly above the top of the left sphere, not quite touching it. While the rod is there, the right sphere is moved so that the spheres no longer touch. Then the rod is withdrawn. Afterward, what is the charge state of each sphere? Use charge diagrams to explain your answer.

Short answer

The arrow in the top diagram shows transfer of electrons.

The arrow in second diagram shows the repelling force of the rod on the right sphere.

Step-by-step solution

Content Introduction

When the number of protons exceeds the number of electrons, a positive charge is created. An atom or substance having a neutral charge can be given a positive charge by adding protons. At the subatomic level, a negative charge is an electrical property of a particle. If an object contains an excess of electrons, it is negatively charged; otherwise, it is uncharged or positively charged.

Content Explanation

We know,

The left sphere has a negative charge, whereas the right has a positive charge.

When the negatively charged rod is brought close to the neutral spheres, negative electrons flow from the left to the right sphere, making the left sphere positively charged and the right sphere negatively charged, causing the right sphere to reject the rod.

The diagram is shown below: