Electrostatics> Two identical metallic spheres of exactly...

Two identical metallic spheres of exactly equal masses are taken. One is given a positive charge Q coulombs and the other an equal negative charge. Their masses after charging are different.

Radhika Batra , 11 Years ago

Grade 11

4 Answers

Kevin Nash

Hello Student,

Please find the answer to your question

The metallic sphere which gets negatively charged gains electrons and hence its mass increases. The metallic sphere which gets positively charged loses electrons and hence its mass decreases.

Thanks
Kevin Nash
askIITians Faculty

Last Activity: 11 Years ago

Arun Kumar

Hello Student,

I don’t think the mass of the sphere’s are gonna change a lot.

I mean it can but they will be mass of e^-giving 1C charge.

Thanks & Regards
Arun Kumar
Btech, IIT Delhi
Askiitians Faculty

Last Activity: 11 Years ago

Megha

When two bodies are rubbed together, electrons get removed from one body and these electrons so removed get transferred to the other body. The body from which the electrons get removed becomes positively charged and the body to which the electrons get transferred becomes negatively charged. Since an electron is a material particle, the mass of the positively charged body decreases and that of the negatively charged body increases. Hence, when one of the two identical metallic spheres is charged positive and the other negative, their masses after charging will not be equal.

Last Activity: 7 Years ago

Kushagra Madhukar

Dear student,

Please find the answer to your question.

Since, electrons which are negatively charged are more mobile due to their smaller mass, the transfer of charge will take place majorly due to the migration of electrons.

To charge the negatively charged sphere it will have to gain electrons.

While to charge the positively charge sphere, electrons must be removed from it.

Since, electrons have mass, therefore, the mass of the positively charged sphere will decrease while that of negatively charged sphere will increase.

However it must be noted that this effect might not be significant or even measurable in the macroscopic world, and the mass will roughly be the same if measured using weighing machine.

Thanks and regards,

Kushagra

Last Activity: 5 Years ago