How to Determine Electric Charges with Balloons
What does it mean when two balloons exhibit different behaviors in the presence of each other?
In one part of the room, there are two balloons - one hanging straight down and the other being attracted to it.
Which of the following statements is true?
- A) Balloon A is charged and Balloon B is neutral
- B) Balloon B is charged and Balloon A is neutral
- C) Balloon A is neutral and Balloon B is negative
- D) Balloon A is neutral and Balloon B is positive
Answer:
The correct answer is B) Balloon B is charged and Balloon A is neutral.
Based on the scenario where two balloons exhibit different behaviors—one hanging straight down and the other being attracted to it—it suggests that there are electric charges involved.
When one balloon is attracted to another, it can be because one of the balloons is charged and the other one might be neutral, or it may also be the case that both balloons are charged with opposite types of charges causing attraction.
If a negatively charged balloon repels another charged balloon and attracts a neutral object, then we know that like charges repel and opposite charges or a charged object and a neutral object attract.
Considering that information, it's likely that Balloon A, the hanging one, is neutral, and Balloon B is charged, since neutral objects can be attracted to charged objects due to induced polarization.
So, in the given scenario, the correct answer is B) Balloon B is charged and Balloon A is neutral.