A plastic rod is rubbed with a cloth and becomes positively charged. After charging, the
rod is held close to the suspended table-tennis ball shown in Fig. 8.1. The table-tennis
ball is covered with metal paint and is initially uncharged.
positively
charged rod
light
table-tennis ball
covered with metal
paint
nylon thread
Fig. 8.1
(i) Describe what happens to the charges on the metal-painted table-tennis ball as the
positively-charged rod is brought close to the ball.
Solution:
When the positively-charged rod is brought close to the ball, the charges on the metal-painted table-tennis ball get rearranged in such a manner that the negative charges are closer to the rod and positive charges away from the rod. This happens because unlike charges attract and like charges repel each other.
When the positively-charged rod is brought close to the ball, the charges on the metal-painted table-tennis ball get rearranged in such a manner that the negative charges are closer to the rod and positive charges away from the rod. This happens because unlike charges attract and like charges repel each other.