Question

Plastic straws A and B are rubbed with a dry cotton cloth. What will happen if they are brought near each other?

Answer 1

1. Electrons from one substance are transmitted to the other when two different materials are rubbed together.
2. As a result, object that looses electron becomes positively charged, while the other that gains electrons gets negatively charged.
3. According to our basic charge interaction principle, a positively charged object will attract a negatively charged object. Objects with opposite charges are drawn to each other.
4. Two objects with the same charge repel each other, in contrast to the attractive force that exists between two items with opposing charges.
5. When plastic straws A and B are rubbed with a dry cotton cloth, they will repel each other because when the plastic straws and the cotton fabric are rubbed together, they both receive the same charge, and the same charges repel each other.

Hence, when both straws are rubbed with a dry cotton cloth, they develop a similar charge and repel each other.