Question

When a long-haired woman puts her hands on a Van de Graaff generator a large conducting sphere with charge being delivered to it by a conveyer belt make her hair stands on end. Which of the following explains this phenomenon?

• A. Like charges attract
• B. Like charges repel
• C. Her hair will not stand on end
• D. Her body is conducting a current to the ground
• E. The Van de Graaf generator makes a magnetic field that draws her hair up on end

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Like charges repel

Charge (either positive or negative) is brought to the woman by the Van de Graaf generator. This charge then migrates to the ends of her hair. The repulsive force between like charges makes the hair separate and stand on end. A violates Columbs Law. D and E do not explain the phenomenon.