Final answer:
In the presence of a negatively charged rod near a semiconductor, electrons within the semiconductor will be repelled away from the rod, while protons, which are not mobile, will not move. Thus, answer A is correct: Electrons will be attracted to the rod, while protons will be repelled.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a negatively charged metal rod is brought near a semiconductor, there will be a movement of charged particles within the semiconductor. Since protons are bound within the nucleus and do not move, the mobile charged particles in this scenario are the electrons. The negatively charged rod will repel the electrons within the semiconductor, causing them to move away from the rod. Therefore, the correct answer to what will happen to the charged particles in the semiconductor is:
A. Electrons will be attracted to the rod, while protons will be repelled.
This is because the like charges repel each other, and the negatively charged rod will repel the similar negative charges (electrons) in the semiconductor. Since protons are positively charged and are not free to move (as they are part of the atomic nucleus), they cannot be attracted to or repelled by the rod. However, the semiconductor will exhibit polarization, where there is a separation of charge causing a slight shift in electron distribution.