A charge rod is brought near a pile of tiny plastic sphere. Some of the spheres are attracted to the rod, but as they touch the rod, they are flung into different directions. Explain.

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When a charge rod is brought near a pile of tiny plastic spheres, some of the spheres are attracted to the rod, while others remain unaffected. This phenomenon can be explained by the principles of static electricity.

Static electricity is the build-up of electric charges on the surface of an object. It occurs when there is an imbalance of positive and negative charges. When the charge rod is brought close to the plastic spheres, it transfers some of its excess electric charge to the spheres through a process called induction.

Initially, the spheres are neutrally charged, with equal numbers of positive and negative charges on their surface. When the positively charged charge rod is brought close to them, it causes the negative charges in the spheres to be attracted towards it, while the positive charges are repelled away.

As the negatively charged spheres get closer to the charge rod, they may experience a strong enough electric field that causes them to be attracted to the rod. This attraction occurs because opposite charges attract each other.

However, when the spheres touch the charge rod, a phenomenon known as electrostatic discharge occurs. This happens because the charge on the rod flows into the spheres, neutralizing their charge momentarily. Consequently, the spheres are repelled due to the equal charges between them and the rod. The spheres are then flung into different directions as they gain some kinetic energy from the repulsion.

It is important to note that not all spheres are attracted to the charge rod because their ability to hold and transfer charge can vary based on their material composition. Some materials, like plastic, tend to acquire static charges more easily than others.

In summary, some of the plastic spheres are attracted to the charge rod due to the transfer of charge through induction. However, as they touch the charge rod, their charge is neutralized, causing them to be repelled and flung in different directions.