Question

If you peel two strips of transparent tape off the same roll and immediately let them hang near each other, they will repel each other. If you then stick the sticky side of one to the shiny side of the other and rip them apart, they will attract each other. Give a plausible explanation, involving transfer of electrons between the strips of tape, for this sequence of events.

Short answer

The transfer of electrons causes the strips to undergo attraction.

Step-by-step solution

Concept of electric charge.

An electric charge is an entity or a property of a particle that causes it to get influenced via experiencing a force when placed inside an electric or magnetic field.The charge due to electrons is mainly what is referred to as electric charge and one electron carries a charge of $1.6\mathrm{x}{10}^{-19}\mathrm{C}$. Like charges repel each other and unlike charges attract each other

Explanation of transfer of electrons and the sequence of events.

When the two strips are peeled, the negatively charged electrons flow to the rest of the tape roll from the stripped part. So, the tapes that are stripped are both negatively charged at the same time on their sticky side and will repel for sure. Now, if the sticky side of one is pasted on the shiny side of the other and then stripped off forcefully separating them in the process, then there will be a flow of electrons again. But this time there will be a net positive charge build-up which will cause the attraction between the two strips. Thus, the transfer of negative charge from one strip to other causes one to be positive and then subsequent attraction.