Due to friction with the Earth's atmosphere, a large static electric charge could build up on our plummeting asteroid fragment. Would you expect our fragment to generate a magnetic field? Explain why or why not
To determine whether the plummeting asteroid fragment would generate a magnetic field due to the large static electric charge building up, we need to consider the factors involved.
First, let's understand the process of generating a magnetic field. A magnetic field is produced when electric charges are in motion. This means that the charges need to flow or move in order to create a magnetic field.
In the case of the asteroid fragment plummeting through Earth's atmosphere, we have a scenario where friction generates a large static electric charge. In this situation, the charges won't have enough mobility or flow to create a significant magnetic field.
Static electric charges occur when there is an imbalance of positive and negative charges, making them stay still or stationary. Since the charges remain static on the asteroid fragment, there is no significant movement of charges that would generate a magnetic field.
However, it's worth mentioning that even though a static electric charge won't create a magnetic field, it can still have various effects, such as attracting or repelling other objects with opposite or like charges.
In summary, due to the large static electric charge build-up on the plummeting asteroid fragment, we would not expect it to generate a significant magnetic field because the charges remain static and do not exhibit the required motion to produce a magnetic field.