Important Principles from L153A & B

The most important principles to be gleaned from L153A & B are the following.

  1. Objects charged in the same way repel. 
  2. Objects charged in different ways attract.
  3. Charged objects can attract uncharged objects.
  4. The forces of electrostatic repulsion and attraction are greater when the separation of the charged objects is less.
  5. The forces of electrostatic repulsion and attraction are greater when the the objects are charged more (such as more rubbing).
  6. Objects can be charged in different ways (friction, sticking, unsticking).

Principle 3 above is sometimes overlooked, because students assume that if attraction occurs, the objects must be oppositely charged. In fact, this assumption is not necessary.



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