Introduction to Electrostatics

An atom gains an electron.  What type of charge does it have now?

• positive

• negative

• No charge

Examine the picture. What is true about it?

• Both objects are insulators

• Both objects are conductors

• Sphere is an insulator and person is a conductor

• Sphere is a conductor and person is an insulator

Where do electrons go when you rub a balloon on your hair?

• Onto the balloon

• Into your hair

• Nowhere

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After you rub a balloon on your hair, what charge does the balloon have?

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

A negatively charged plastic comb is brought close to, but does not touch, a small piece of paper. If the comb and the paper are attracted to each other, the charge on the paper

• may be positive or neutral

• must be positive

• may be negative or neutral

• must be negative

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An electroscope is a device with a metal knob, a metal stem, and freely hanging metal leaves used to detect charges. The diagram below shows a positively charged leaf electroscope. As a positively charged glass rod is brought near the knob of the electroscope, the separation of the leaves will

• remain the same

• increase

• decrease

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After you rub a balloon on your hair, what charge does your hair have?

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

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When a glass rod is rubbed with silk and the glass rod becomes positively charged, what happens to the electrons?

• they are removed from the rod

• they are added to the rod

A positively charged glass rod attracts object X. The net charge of object X

• may be zero or positive

• may be zero or negative

• must be positive

• must be negative

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The ________ between the clouds and air causes the clouds to be charged with electric charges.

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