What is the difference between charging by contact and charging by induction in terms of electron transfer.

Question

Physics

Hailee Stein

6 May, 10:56

What is the difference between charging by contact and charging by induction in terms of electron transfer.

+4

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Dashawn Morton · Answer 1

the main difference between charging by contact and charging by induction is that in the first case, the two objects are touching, while in the second case, the two objects do not touch

Explanation:

There are three methods of charging an object:

- Charging by friction: this is done by rubbing an object against another object. An example is when a plastic rod is rubbed with a wool cloth. When this is done, electrons are transferred from the wool to the rod, so both objects remain charged at the end of the process

- Charging by contact: this is done by putting in contact a charged object with a neutral, conducting object. In this case, the charges are transferred from the charged object to the neutral object; at the end of the process, the neutral object will also have a net electric charge, so it will be also charged.

- Charging by induction: in this case, we take a charged object, and a neutral object, and we place the two objects close to each other, but without touching. Let's assume that the charged object is negatively charged: in this case, the positive charges in the neutral object are attracted towards the negative charges of the charged object, while the negative charges of the neutral object are repelled away. As a result, the positive and negative charges in the neutral object split apart. If the object is connected to the ground, then negative charges move away, so the neutral object will remain positively charged.

Therefore, the main difference between charging by contact and charging by induction is that in the first case, the two objects are touching, while in the second case, the two objects do not touch.