In an electric field, what will any object with charge experience?
Two balloons are rubbed on the same sweater and hung side by side from strings. They swing apart and hang tilted, refusing to touch.
In earlier grades you saw that charge comes in two types, called positive and negative. This lesson gives the rule the two types follow.
Both balloons were rubbed on the same sweater. So both carry the same type of charge. Here, that type is negative. The balloons push each other apart.
Now consider a glass rod that carries positive charge, brought near one negative balloon. The rod and the balloon pull toward each other.
Charges of the same type are called like charges. Charges of different types are called unlike charges.
Two strips of tape each carry negative charge and hang near each other. What happens?
Name the pair:
Negative and negative are like charges.
Apply the rule:
Like charges repel.
The strips push each other apart.
Two objects each carry positive charge and are brought near. What happens?
A bead carrying positive charge hangs near a bead carrying negative charge. What happens?
Name the pair:
Positive and negative are unlike charges.
Apply the rule:
Unlike charges attract.
The beads pull toward each other.
A ribbon carries negative charge; a hair clip nearby carries positive charge. What happens?
Two charges of the same type are called ___.
That is why the hanging balloons tilt apart: two negatives are like charges, and like charges repel.
Which pairing of charges and result is correct?
Two charged paper strips pull toward each other. Which statement about their charges is true?
Which pair of charged objects will pull toward each other?