Explain how rubbin fur on an ebonite rod produces a charge on the rod. What chrage is produced in the rod?
I understand the question, but how am I to know if it will have a positive or negative charge? Also, I don't quite understand how you charge something electrically by rubbing i, so I would really appreciate an explanation. Thank you! :-)
http://www.thebakken.org/electricity/science-of-static.html
With regard to how to know if the ebonite rod acquires a positive or negative charge, you have to do the experiment to find out, and compare the result with other materials that are defined to have a particular charge.
The tradition that electrons are called "negative" is the result of an arbitary decision by Benjamin Franklin to call one the rubbed objects in his experiments (a glass rod which happened to have a deficiency of electrons) "positive". A rubber rod rubbed with fur has opposite charge. To understand why would require a complex theoretical anaylsis of the rubbing process and the electron affinity of the two materials being rubbed.
For more about that, see http://books.google.com/books?id=OwdAkGQ3AZYC&pg=PA605&lpg=PA605&dq=%22Benjamin+Franklin%22+positive+glass+rod&source=web&ots=snTL0UzdS0&sig=jwzFMxLfLsGBRqB9855g6W2yzso&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result
thank you very much for the links.
firstly ,an ebonite rod is an insulator which does not allow the flow of electricity easily so the best way of producing this charge is by friction. When fur is rubbed VIGOROSLY on ebonite rod it produces a negative charge to the ebonite rod
When you rub fur on an ebonite rod, a process called triboelectric charging occurs. Triboelectric charging is the transfer of electric charge between two objects when they come into contact and then separate. In this case, when the fur rubs against the ebonite rod, the atoms of the two materials interact.
Ebonite is a type of synthetic rubber that has a high affinity for electrons, while fur has a lower affinity. Affinity refers to how strongly a material attracts or holds onto electrons. When the two materials come into contact and then separate, the strong forces between their atoms cause a transfer of electrons between them.
During the rubbing process, some of the electrons from the fur are transferred to the ebonite rod. The fur loses some of its electrons and becomes positively charged, while the ebonite rod gains electrons and becomes negatively charged. This is because electrons have a negative charge, so when they move from one object to another, they create an imbalance of charges.
In terms of determining the specific charge on the rod, it can be challenging without conducting an experiment or knowing the specific materials involved, as there are various factors that can affect the type and amount of charge produced. However, based on general principles, when rubbing fur on ebonite, the ebonite rod is typically negatively charged.
To determine the charge experimentally, you can use a device called an electroscope. An electroscope is a device that detects the presence of electric charge. By bringing the rubbed ebonite rod close to the electroscope, you can observe the deflection of a metal leaf or indicator on the electroscope. If the leaf deflects away, it indicates a negative charge on the rod.
In summary, when you rub fur on an ebonite rod, it results in triboelectric charging. The transfer of electrons between the two materials causes the fur to become positively charged, and the ebonite rod to become negatively charged. The specific charge on the rod can be determined experimentally using an electroscope.