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42 votes
42 votes
Jermaine and Lashonda each rub their dry hair with inflated balloons. While doing this, the other students notice that their hair is starting to stick straight out. Next, the teacher takes the balloons and places them right next to one another. However, the balloons will not stay next to each other, as they normally would. Instead, they spring apart in opposite directions. Explain what is causing these balloons to push each other away. A) There must be a vent in the classroom blowing the two balloons apart. B) They have each gained negative charge from the hair rubbing, and like charges repel each other. C) They have each gained negative charge from the hair rubbing, and like charges attract each other. D) The rubber balloons are simply bouncing off each other the way a rubber ball bounces off the floor.

User Lambros
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1 Answer

23 votes
23 votes

Answer: B

Step-by-step explanation:

Due to the rubbing of the balloons on their hair, the balloons have gained negative charges which lie on the balloons surfaces. Like charges will repel each other according to the Coulomb force