Electroscope Problem: Why the Foil Leaves were Unaffected by a Neutral Balloon

[shadowfalcon]

A fully charged electroscope is touched with a neutral balloon. It is observed that the foil leaves of the electroscope are unaffected when the electroscope is touched w/ the balloon.

Explain why the foil leaves were unaffected when the charged electroscope was touched by the neutral balloon.

In this problem, should the answer be because the balloon is an insulator? I think this because in order for there to be no effect, there must be no transfer of charge, and hence an insulator. My friend thinks otherwise.

Thanks.
:shy:

 

[Dick]

A fully charged electroscope is touched with a neutral balloon. It is observed that the foil leaves of the electroscope are unaffected when the electroscope is touched w/ the balloon.

Explain why the foil leaves were unaffected when the charged electroscope was touched by the neutral balloon.

In this problem, should the answer be because the balloon is an insulator? I think this because in order for there to be no effect, there must be no transfer of charge, and hence an insulator. My friend thinks otherwise.

Thanks.
:shy:

I think you are right. Why does your friend think otherwise?

 

[shadowfalcon]

Ok thanks. My friend just thought it should be a conductor for some reason.

 

[Dick]

Ok thanks. My friend just thought it should be a conductor for some reason.

If it were a conductor (like if it were metallic) then there would be some charge transfer and the electroscope would be affected. But the problem says it isn't. Must be an insulator. Not sure what your friend was thinking.

 

[Nickie]

I can explain that the foil leaves were unaffected because the neutral balloon did not have any excess charge to transfer to the electroscope. In order for the foil leaves to move, there needs to be a difference in charge between the electroscope and the object touching it. Since the balloon was neutral, it did not have any excess charge to transfer to the electroscope and therefore did not cause the foil leaves to move. This is not necessarily because the balloon is an insulator, but rather because it did not have any charge to transfer. If the balloon had been charged, even if it was an insulator, there would have been a transfer of charge and the foil leaves would have been affected. It is important to note that while insulators do not allow the flow of electricity, they can still hold a charge and transfer it to other objects.