Electrostatics and aluminium foil problem

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around electrostatics, specifically focusing on the behavior of a metal rod after being rubbed with a cloth and the interaction of charged rods with small pieces of paper and aluminum foil.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the charge state of the metal rod and cloth after rubbing, questioning why the rod remains neutral while the cloth becomes positively charged. They also discuss the differing behaviors of paper and aluminum foil when attracted to charged rods, raising questions about their electrical properties and conductivity.

Discussion Status

The conversation is ongoing, with participants examining the differences between materials and their interactions with electric charges. Some guidance has been provided regarding the concepts of polarization and charge transfer, but no consensus has been reached on the implications of these differences.

Contextual Notes

Participants are considering the implications of charge transfer and polarization in the context of homework rules, which may limit the depth of exploration into the underlying physics.

yipkawa
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1' after a metal rod rubbing with a cloth, is the metal rod remains neutral in charge whereas the cloth will be positive charge?
2' a small pieces of paper and aluminium foil are attracted by charged metal rods when the rods are brought close to them. however, the former stick to the rod while the latter not. why?
 
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yipkawa said:
1' after a metal rod rubbing with a cloth, is the metal rod remains neutral in charge whereas the cloth will be positive charge?
2' a small pieces of paper and aluminium foil are attracted by charged metal rods when the rods are brought close to them. however, the former stick to the rod while the latter not. why?
What do you think happens in #1? How are a piece of paper and aluminum foil different in terms of their electrical properties?
 
OlderDan said:
What do you think happens in #1? How are a piece of paper and aluminum foil different in terms of their electrical properties?

is it one of them is conductor but the other one not?
 
yipkawa said:
is it one of them is conductor but the other one not?

That is the important difference between the paper and the aluminum. When the paper is attracted and sticking to a charged rod it is because of a slight realignment of the charges in the paper. This is called polarization. The paper usually remains neutral, so the attraction continues.

When a piece of aluminum touches a charged rod, charge is transferred from the rod to the aluminum. Both objects wind up with the same excess charge and so they repel one another.
 

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