Can positive charge move between charged bodies like electrons do?

In summary, according to the textbook, protons move from both A and B to the right of B, and all electrons from both A and B accumulate near C.
  • #1
Anjum S Khan
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Suppose , there is a body B1(-vely charged) and body B2(+vely charged). When both are on contact, electrons move from B1 to B2 as B2 is having electron deficit. But is reverse also possible that protons move from B2 to B1 as B1 is having proton deficit.
 
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  • #2
We live in a radioactive environment, which means that we receive and emit ##\alpha## radiation. Otherwise we only lose protons if we cut our nails or go to the hairdresser. Protons are strongly bounded in the nuclei and cannot "get lost", except for radiation, and if they do, it is called radiation.
 
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  • #3
Anjum S Khan said:
We study that electrons gets in , gets out of body. But can protons do it too ? I never saw my textbook talking about it, hence this question.

You would need a nuclear reaction of much much higher energy to get a proton to come out of a body.
 
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  • #4
Reverse beta decay (proton to neutron, positon, and neutrino) might be the most likely way of removing positive charge from a body by radioactive decay.
 
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  • #5
Mister T said:
You would need a nuclear reaction of much much higher energy to get a proton to come out of a body.

Please see the attached image. Here what would happen to positive charge and why ? Positive charge would move to ground or electrons would move from ground to Body B ?
 

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  • #6
fresh_42 said:
We live in a radioactive environment, which means that we receive and emit ##\alpha## radiation. Otherwise we only lose protons if we cut our nails or go to the hairdresser. Protons are strongly bounded in the nuclei and cannot "get lost", except for radiation, and if they do, it is called radiation.

What would happen if two metallic bodies (A and B) are touching each other, and a positively charged body C is brought closer to Body A.
C A<->B
I read in textbook that protons (positive charge) move from both A&B to extreme right of B, and all electrons from both A&B accumulate near C. So, basically here protons left body A and get into body B.
 
  • #7
Anjum S Khan said:
I read in textbook that protons (positive charge) move from both A&B to extreme right of B, and all electrons from both A&B accumulate near C. So, basically here protons left body A and get into body B.
what textbook ?

no, I doubt that is possible

Protons are unlikely to move anywhere when inside a solid material. This is because protons are part of the atomic nucleus and are not just "floating" around freely within the material. The atomic nuclei are fixed within the atomic lattice that makes up the material.
This means that free electrons will be the only charges that will be doing any moving around.
 
  • #8
davenn said:
what textbook ?

no, I doubt that is possible

Protons are unlikely to move anywhere when inside a solid material. This is because protons are part of the atomic nucleus and are not just "floating" around freely within the material. The atomic nuclei are fixed within the atomic lattice that makes up the material.
This means that free electrons will be the only charges that will be doing any moving around.

It seems you are right, as by looking at the figure in my textbook I got the feeling that protons moved from body A through body B. I am attaching the exact same figure.
After reading your answer, now my thinking is +ve charge accumulation in B is because of replusion from body A, and there is no +ve charge transfer from A to B.
 

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  • #9
davenn said:
what textbook ?

no, I doubt that is possible

Protons are unlikely to move anywhere when inside a solid material. This is because protons are part of the atomic nucleus and are not just "floating" around freely within the material. The atomic nuclei are fixed within the atomic lattice that makes up the material.
This means that free electrons will be the only charges that will be doing any moving around.
I am not sure if that is quite right.
Pure water is a proton conductor, where the proton ( what is a proton if not just a hydrogen atom without the electron ) will jump from water molecule to the next on so forth in a electrical field, Pure Ice water, with the more water molecule connections is a better conductor than liquid water.

wiki has a slim write-up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_conductor
the proton conducting ceramics borrow the proton from the air ( humidity - not sure what happens to resulting OH- , negatively charged air ), to attach to O atoms in the ceramic where it can migrate to adjacent O atoms of the solid.

But as you say, with nuclei of greater than 1 protons, these particular protons do not migrate.
 
  • #10
Anjum S Khan said:
I read in textbook that protons (positive charge) move from both A&B to extreme right of B, and all electrons from both A&B accumulate near C. So, basically here protons left body A and get into body B.
A positive (negative) charged body is basically a body with missing (additional) electrons. As electrons are all around everywhere, this gap will immediately by closed (the additional electrons will be emitted). Protons are irrelevant, except for the natural radioactivity.
 
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  • #11
256bits said:
I am not sure if that is quite right.
Pure water is a proton conductor, where the proton ( what is a proton if not just a hydrogen atom without the electron ) will jump from water molecule to the next on so forth in a electrical field, Pure Ice water, with the more water molecule connections is a better conductor than liquid water.
He 's talking about solids and so am I, read the posts 😉 :smile:
we were both very specific ...
last time I looked, water and any other liquid, isn't a solid ... there is no atomic lattice
 
  • #12
Anjum S Khan said:
After reading your answer, now my thinking is +ve charge accumulation in B is because of replusion from body A, and there is no +ve charge transfer from A to B.
Yes, but don't use the accumulate (accumulation) at that infers that the + charges are moving.
Rather there is now an excessive + charge in an area because the - charges ( the electrons) are
driven off/forced away/repelled from that area by the presence of a negatively charged object.
 
  • #13
davenn said:
He 's talking about solids and so am I, read the posts 😉 :smile:
we were both very specific ...
last time I looked, water and any other liquid, isn't a solid ... there is no atomic lattice
As I mentioned, after the preamble for water,

256bits said:
Pure Ice water, with the more water molecule connections is a better conductor than liquid water.
Read the whole post.

The proton conductivity of ceramics, such as
https://aip.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1063/1.1357783
https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.4754298Quote
Hydroxyapatite (HAp), well known as a biomaterial, is also known as a proton conductor. Its electrical properties are related strongly to its stability and surface properties. In particular, persistent electrical polarization related to proton conductivity of hydroxyapatite has a substantial influence on hydroxyapatite surface properties.
UnQuote

Hydroxyapatite is a type of calcium phosphate found in bones and teeth.
 
  • #14
256bits said:
As I mentioned, after the preamble for water,

Read the whole post.
yeah, I had done so back at that time ... your comments were, unfortunately, going way off topic :frown:
there wasn't really any need to bring in liquids :wink:
 
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1. Can positive charge move between charged bodies like electrons do?

Yes, positive charge can move between charged bodies just like electrons. However, the direction of the movement is opposite to that of electrons. While electrons move from a negatively charged body to a positively charged body, positive charge moves from a positively charged body to a negatively charged body.

2. What causes positive charge to move between charged bodies?

Positive charge moves between charged bodies due to the presence of an electric field. An electric field is created by the difference in electric potential between two charged bodies. This electric field exerts a force on the positive charge, causing it to move towards the negatively charged body.

3. Can positive charge move through a vacuum?

Yes, positive charge can move through a vacuum. Just like electrons, positive charge can also move through a vacuum as long as there is an electric field present. This is because electric fields can exist in a vacuum and they can exert a force on the positive charge, causing it to move.

4. Is the movement of positive charge between charged bodies instantaneous?

No, the movement of positive charge between charged bodies is not instantaneous. It takes time for the positive charge to move from one body to another. This is because the speed at which positive charge moves is affected by factors such as the strength of the electric field and the distance between the charged bodies.

5. Can positive charge move between charged bodies in a conductor?

Yes, positive charge can move between charged bodies in a conductor. In fact, this is how electricity flows through a conductor. When a conductor is connected to a circuit, the positive charge moves from the positively charged end to the negatively charged end, creating a flow of electricity. This flow of positive charge is what we refer to as electric current.

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