Question

When a body is earthed, electrons flow from the earth into the body. This means the body is____________.

Answer 1

Concept of earthing:

1. Earth is a conductor that can operate as both a sink and a source of charge, allowing it to provide any quantity of charge required.
2. Whenever a charged body is earthed, Coulomb's attraction between charges of opposing polarity extracts the opposite polarity charge from the earth, causing it to become neutral.
3. The charge flows in such a way during earthing that the body's potential is equal to that of the earth.

Charge on the body:

1. As the electrons(negative charge) flow from the earth into the body.
2. That implies that the body was initially positively charged (opposite polarity).
3. When a body is earthed, electrons flow from the earth into the body.

Therefore, the body is charged positively.