Question

The glass rod and silk cloth are attracted to each other. You let them come in CONTACT with each other. After a while, you separate them. Would they still be attracted to each other?

Option 1: Yes, they would still be attracted.
Option 2: No, they would no longer be attracted.
Option 3: It depends on the duration of their contact.
Option 4: It depends on the temperature of the surroundings.

Answer 1

After coming into contact, a positively charged glass rod and a negatively charged silk cloth would still remain attracted to each other upon being separated, because they retain their opposite charges.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a glass rod is rubbed with silk, it becomes positively charged and the silk becomes negatively charged. This charging process is known as triboelectric charging and leads to a situation where the glass rod and the silk cloth attract each other due to their opposite charges. When they come into contact, they do not lose their charges immediately. So, if you separate them shortly after making contact, they would still hold their opposite charges and continue to be attracted to each other. Therefore, the answer to the student's question is Option 1: Yes, they would still be attracted to each other after being separated.