Question

A metal rod A and a metal sphere B, on insulating stands, touch each other. They are originally neutral. A positively charged rod is brought near (but not touching) the far end of A. While the charged rod is still close, A and B are separated. The charged rod is then withdrawn. Is the sphere then positively charged, negatively charged, or neutral?

Answer 1

The sphere is positively charged

Step-by-step explanation:

This is because when the positively charged rod is brought near the metal rod A, the electrons in metal rod A and sphere B are attracted towards it into metal rod A while the positive charges in the are repelled into sphere B. So, when the charged rod is withdrawn, and metal rod A and sphere B are separated, metal rod A is now negatively charged, but sphere B is positively charged.

So, sphere B is positively charged.