Whenever we earth a material , the purpose is to bring the potential of the surrounding to zero. So If we have an individual charged body, The excess charge will flow to the earth and make it neutral so as to make the potential zero. If the body is negatively charged , the excess electrons flow to earth and if it is positively charged then equal amount of electrons flow from the earth to the body to make it neutral.
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Apoorva Arora
IIT Roorkee
askIITians Faculty