Final answer:
A balloon becomes charged through the transfer of electrons when rubbed against a sleeve, demonstrating concepts of static electricity. The PhET Explorations on Static Electricity simulation helps visualize this phenomenon and how charged objects interact, including attraction, repulsion, and polarization.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a balloon is rubbed against a sleeve, it becomes charged due to the transfer of electrons, which is a key concept in static electricity. This charge causes the balloon to stick to the sweater or other surfaces because of the attraction between opposite charges or the polarization of neutral objects. In PhET Explorations on Balloons and Static Electricity, you can observe how the negatives charges accumulate on the balloon, and how it interacts with other charged objects or induces polarization in a neutral object.
For instance, if a charged balloon is brought near a second balloon, which has an equal number of positive and negative charges, the second balloon will not move substantially as it is neutral. However, if it was charged with an opposite charge, they might attract, or if it had the same charge, they would repel each other.
In another scenario, when a balloon keeps a plastic loop hovering in the air above it, this is due to the charges on both objects. If they were both negatively charged, they would repel each other, creating an air cushion that keeps the plastic loop afloat.