4. Cut several small strips of paper, about 1 inch long and 2 millimeters wide and place them on a table. Then take a blown up balloon and rub it on your shirt that you are wearing. This will cause some of the electrons from the shirt to rub off onto the balloon. Then take the balloon and hover it just above the paper.

Question

4. Cut several small strips of paper, about 1 inch long and 2 millimeters wide and place them on a table. Then take a blown up balloon and rub it on your shirt that you are wearing. This will cause some of the electrons from the shirt to rub off onto the balloon. Then take the balloon and hover it just above the paper.

What happened to the paper? Explain why, using what you know about electric charge. (If struggling to answer this question, click here & watch this video for help)
Type Answer HERE:

Answer 1

When the rubbed balloon is hovered just above the paper strips, the paper strips will be attracted to the balloon and may even stick to it. This is because when the balloon is rubbed against the shirt, friction causes the electrons from the shirt to transfer onto the balloon. As a result, the balloon becomes negatively charged, as it has gained extra electrons. The paper strips, being neutral in charge, are attracted to the balloon because oppositely charged objects attract each other. Therefore, the negative charge on the balloon attracts the positive charge in the paper strips, causing them to be pulled towards the balloon.