To understand interactions between a grounded conductor and a charged ball that

Question

To understand interactions between a grounded conductor and a charged ball that is repeatedly brought into contact with It. This problem explores the behavior of charge on grounded conductors We take as an example a long conducting rod suspended by conducting wires that are connected to ground Assume that the rod is initially electrically neutral For convenience we will refer to the left end of the rod as end A and the right end of the rod as end B (Figure 1) In the answer options for this problem ' strongly attracted/repelled' means 'attracted/repelled with a force of magnitude similar to that which would exist between two charged balls " A small metal ball is given a negative charge, then brought near (i.e.. within about 1/10 the length of the rod) to end A of the rod. What happens to end A of the rod when the ball approaches it closely this first time? Select the expected behavior. strongly repelled) strongly attracted weakly attracted weakly repelled neither attracted nor repelled Now consider what happens when the small metal ball is repeatedly given a negative charge and then brought into contact with end A of the rod. After a great many contacts with the charged ball, how is any charge on the rod arranged (when the charged ball is far away)? Select the best description. positive charge on end B and negative charge on end A negative charge spread evenly on both negative charge on end A with end B remaining neutral both ends neutral positive charge spread evenly on both How does end A of the rod react when the (re)charged ball approaches it after a great many previous contacts with end A? Select the expected behavior. strongly repelled strongly attracted weakly attracted weakly repelled neither attracted nor repelled How does end B of the rod react when the charged ball approaches it after a great many previous contacts with end A? Select the expected behavior. strongly repelled strongly attracted weakly attracted weakly repelled neither attracted nor repelled

Explanation / Answer

part a )

strongly attracted .

In a conductor (such as a metal), charges move freely. The charges in the charged conducting rod will move in response to the negatively charged ball: a large number of positive charges will move to end A of the charged conducting rod in response to the negative electric field created by the ball

part b )

both ends neutral

The conducting rod is grounded so any prior charge has been transferred to the ground. When the ball is far away, it exerts a negligible electric field near the conducting rod.

part c )

stronglt attracted

Since the conducting rod is grounded, any previous charge will have been transferred to the ground

part d )

strongly attracted

Since the conducting rod is grounded, any previous charge will have been transferred to the ground. And since the conducting rod is a conductor, charges are able to move freely to/from either end in response to an electric field created by the charged ball.

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