Question

How does the development of electrostatic charge when a glass rod is rubbed with silk deny the existence of a neutral indivisible atom?. Explain.

Answer 1

• When a glass rod is rubbed with silk, electrons are stripped away from the atoms of the glass rod and transferred to the silk.
• Thus the glass rod is left with a positive charge. Electrons could have gone from silk as well but the minute properties of the material also play a role here, that is why the glass rod got a positive charge.
• We know that atoms are indivisible particles, then how did the electrons transfer from glass rod to silk.
• This happened in this way because the nucleus is kept well inside and they cannot move around. But the electrons being revolving around the nucleus in their orbits can be transferred on rubbing.
• As the glass rod got a positive charge, silk got a negative charge as well. They have equal and opposite charges.