Question

Explain the law of electrostatic attraction and repulsion in detail with the help of an activity.

Answer 1

The nature of the charges can be explained with the following activity,

Aim-To understand the nature of the charges

Materials required-Two glass rods,silk cloth,thread, two ebonite rods and fur

Procedure:

Take a glass rod and rub it with silk cloth, suspend this rod freely with a thread.

1. Now take another glass rod and rub it with the silk cloth
2. Bring these two rods together and observe,

We will observe that the two glass rods repel each other and move apart

1. Then take an ebonite rod and rub it with fur.
2. Suspend this rod freely with a thread.
3. Rub another ebonite rod with fur.
4. Bring this rod close to the suspended rod and observe

In this case also you will observe that the two ebonite rods repel each other.

1. Keep the first ebonite rod suspended freely.
2. Now bring the glass rod rubbed with the silk cloth near the suspended ebonite rod and observe.

This time you will observe that the two rods attract each other.

Conclusion

1. There are two types of charges-positive and negative.
2. Like charges repel whereas unlike charges attract each other.

The following are two postulates of the law of electrostatic attraction and repulsion

1. Like charges repel each other. A positively charged glass rod repels each another positively charged glass rod and similarly, a negatively charged ebonite rod repels another negatively charged ebonite rod.
2. Unlike charges attract each other. A positively charged glass rod attracts a negatively charged ebonite rod.