- #1
JessicaHelena
- 188
- 3
Homework Statement
A positively charged rod is brought near the knob of an uncharged electroscope and the leaves of the electroscope diverge. As the positively charged rod is held near the knob, the electroscope is grounded with a wire. Then the grounding wire and the positively charged rod are removed. The leaves of the electroscope
a) diverge and are negatively charged
b) dierge and are positively charged
c) converge and are negatively charged
d) converge and are positively charged
e) converge and are neutral
Homework Equations
I think this is more of a conceptual question...
The Attempt at a Solution
I had thought the answer would be e), but apparently it is a) and I need help understanding why. Grounding is the process of 'removing' excess charge by transferring electrons. Since the rod is positive, the electrons of the (initially neutral) leaves are attracted to the rod and the leaves are left positive (with less electron), causing them to repel each other. Since the leaves are now positive, when we have grounding the electrons are going to be 'added' to the leaves. And (I'm not confident about this but) since grounding is a process used to neutralise objects, and while I'm not sure whether the leaves will remain diverged or start to converge, since e) is the only one with 'neutral' in it, that was what I chose for the answer...