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Two uncharged conducting spheres, A and B, are suspended from insulating threads so that they touch each other. While a negatively charged rod is held near, but not touching sphere A, someone moves ball B away from A. How will the spheres be charged, if at all?

Two uncharged conducting spheres, A and B, are suspended from insulating threads so-example-1
User Thang Phi
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1 Answer

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8 votes

Given:

Two uncharged conducting spheres, A and B, are suspended from insulating threads so that they touch each other.

A negatively charged rod is held near, but not touching sphere A.

Someone moves ball B away from A.

To find:

The types of charges on the spheres

Step-by-step explanation:

The negatively charged rod induces a positive charge on the left side of sphere A and a negative charge on the right side of sphere B. The positive charge on the right side of sphere A induces a negative charge on the left side of sphere B and a positive charge on the right side of sphere B but the magnitude of the negative charge dominates so sphere B is negatively charged.

Hence, sphere A is positively charged and sphere B is negatively charged.

User DaveIt
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