Charge Rod Experiment: Why Didn't My Hand Neutralize?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a charged rod experiment where a participant questions why their hand did not neutralize the charge on the rod, despite being a conductor connected to the Earth. The scope includes conceptual clarifications regarding the nature of charge movement in conductors and insulators.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the specifics of the charged rod experiment, seeking clarification on what occurred.
  • Another participant suggests that if the rod is an insulator, the charge may not move through it, impacting the experiment's outcome.
  • A different viewpoint indicates that holding a charged insulator rod would result in difficulty for charges to move due to the poor conductivity of insulators.
  • There is a suggestion that external factors, such as wearing insulating rubber-soled shoes, could affect the ability to neutralize the charge.
  • Multiple participants ask for more details about the specific experiment being referenced, including whether it relates to the glass-fur experiment or similar setups in the triboelectric series.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus, as there are multiple competing views regarding the nature of the charged rod and the factors influencing charge movement.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the assumptions about the materials used in the experiment and the specific conditions under which the experiment was conducted.

dexter_95
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In the charged rod experiment, why didn't my hand neutralize the charge formed in the rod, since my body is a conductor and it is connected to the Earth?
 
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Which charged rod experiment do you mean? Are you able to describe what happened (or didn't happen) more specifically?
 
If the rod is an insulator, I'd imagine it has something to do with the charge's inability to move through the rod. But you should probably describe the experiment and materials used.
 
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If you just hold charged insulator rod, the charges have a difficulty to move since one of property of insulators is a very poor conductivity.
 
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sk1105 said:
Which charged rod experiment do you mean? Are you able to describe what happened (or didn't happen) more specifically?
Glass-fur experiment or any similar one in the triboelectric series?
 
It might be something simple, such as you were wearing shoes with insulating rubber soles.
 

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