Physics Review Question
Unit:
Electricity and Magnetism
Year:
1992
Question#:
20 Question:
An object with +10 elementary charges is grounded and becomes neutral. What is the
best explanation for this occurrence?
(1
) The object gained 10 electrons from the ground.
(2
) The object lost 10 electrons to the ground.
(3
) The object gained 10 protons from the ground.
(4
) The object lost 10 protons to the ground.
What is this question really asking?
Explanation by: Gabriel F
[ Return to question menu
]
Answer 1
A) The object gained 10 electrons from the ground.
CORRECT
This answer is right. Electrons are negative. So, if the object is positively charged
and is grounded then the negative charges will neutralize it. The positive charges
are usually not free to move since they contain the mass of the objects.
return to top
Answer 2
2) The object lost 10 electrons to the ground.
INCORRECT
A loss of 10 electrons would make the object +20 charged, not neutral.
return to top
Answer 3
3) The object gained 10 protons from the ground
INCORRECT
This answer is wrong because a gain of 10 protons would make the object +20 charged.
return to top
Answer 4
4)The object lost 10 protons to the ground.
INCORRECT
This would result in the neutral charge but under normal circumstances the positive
charges are not free to move because they contain the mass of the material.
return to top
What's this question really asking?
Which sub atomic particles are involved in charge transfer?
return to top