A scientist is researching what happens when a neutral metal sphere located on an insulated stand is touched by a negatively charged rod. The set up for the scientist’s experiment is shown in the picture below.
image 3845826dd9f243109fa16213cd34e0d4
What will happen to the excess electrons when the negatively charged rod touches the metal sphere?
(1 point)
Responses
The excess electrons will move from the rod to the sphere and stay close together.
The excess electrons will move from the rod to the sphere and stay close together.
The excess electrons will move from the sphere to the rod and spread out.
The excess electrons will move from the sphere to the rod and spread out.
The excess electrons will move from the sphere to the rod and stay close together.
The excess electrons will move from the sphere to the rod and stay close together.
The excess electrons will move from the rod to the sphere and spread out.
The excess electrons will move from the rod to the sphere and spread out.
The correct answer is: The excess electrons will move from the rod to the sphere and spread out.
The correct answer is: "The excess electrons will move from the rod to the sphere and spread out."
When a negatively charged rod comes into contact with the neutral metal sphere, the excess electrons on the rod will repel the electrons in the metal sphere. As a result, the excess electrons from the rod will transfer to the metal sphere, equalizing the charge distribution. These excess electrons will then spread out across the surface of the metal sphere.
To understand this, you can consider the principles of electric charge and the concept of electrostatic discharge. When two objects with different charge come into contact, electrons can move from one object to the other to balance out the charges. In this case, the negatively charged rod has an excess of electrons, and the neutral metal sphere has an equal number of electrons and protons. So, the excess electrons will move from the rod to the sphere, causing them to spread out over the surface of the sphere.
It's important to note that the metal sphere is insulated, which means it is not connected to any other conductive objects. This insulation prevents the excess electrons from easily flowing away from the sphere. Therefore, they stay on the sphere and spread out, resulting in a redistribution of the charge on the sphere.