Final answer:
By rubbing and creating a positive charge on a material, electrons are removed from the material that becomes positively charged. The process does not involve the transfer of protons, neutrons, or positrons, as these components of the atom are not as freely mobile as electrons. Therefore, the correct answer is A) Electrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
When materials are rubbed together, such as a glass rod against silk, electrons are transferred from one material to the other. This process of removing electrons creates a positive charge on the material that has lost electrons. In the case of the glass rod and silk example:
- If the glass rod becomes positively charged, electrons are removed from the rod.
- If the silk becomes positively charged, electrons are removed from the silk.
Protons and neutrons, the other subatomic particles, do not get transferred between materials as they are tightly bound in the nucleus of the atom, which remains intact during this process. Therefore, by creating a positive charge by rubbing, we are actually removing electrons (not protons, neutrons, or positrons).