1. When a positively charged sphere and the wand are brought near each other, they experience an attractive force. This indicates that there is an interaction between them.
2. The wand could have a negative charge: If the wand has a negative charge and the sphere has a positive charge, they will experience an attractive force due to the opposite charges. Opposite charges attract each other according to the law of electrostatics.
3. The wand could be neutral: Alternatively, the wand could be made of a special material known as a polar material. Polar materials have regions of positive and negative charges within their structure but overall have a net charge of zero.
4. When the polar wand is brought near the positively charged sphere, the positive region of the wand attracts the positively charged sphere, while the negative region repels it. The net effect of these opposite forces results in an overall attractive force towards the wand.
5. The explanation for the attractive force between the wand and the sphere can be summarized as follows:
a. If the wand is negatively charged, the opposite charges attract each other.
b. If the wand is neutral but made of a polar material, the positive region of the wand attracts the positively charged sphere.
Therefore, both lab partners are correct in proposing possible explanations for why the wand attracts the positively charged sphere.