Question

the image on the left shows the charges on a balloon after its been rubbed with a wool cloth. the image on the right is a piece of tissue paper. what will happen to the tissue paper as it approaches the balloon and why? a. the tissue paper will stick to the balloon because the tissue paper is negatively charged. b. the tissue paper will stick to the balloon because the tissue paper is positively charged. c. the tissue paper will move away from the balloon because the tissue paper is negatively charged. d. the tissue paper will move away from the balloon because the tissue paper is positively charged.

Explanation:

When a balloon is rubbed with a wool cloth, it becomes negatively - charged. The tissue paper is neutral. When the negatively - charged balloon approaches the tissue paper, it induces a separation of charges in the tissue paper. The side of the tissue paper closest to the balloon becomes positively charged due to the attraction of the negative charges in the balloon. Opposite charges attract, so the tissue paper will stick to the balloon.

Answer:

A. The tissue paper will stick to the balloon because the tissue paper is negatively charged. (This option is incorrect as the tissue paper is neutral initially but gets polarized).
B. The tissue paper will stick to the balloon because the tissue paper is positively charged. (This is incorrect as it is not inherently positively charged but becomes so on the side close to the balloon due to induction).
C. The tissue paper will move away from the balloon because the tissue paper is negatively charged. (Incorrect as there is an attractive force due to charge induction).
D. The tissue paper will move away from the balloon because the tissue paper is positively charged. (Incorrect as there is an attractive force). The correct explanation is that the neutral tissue paper gets polarized and is attracted to the charged balloon, but among the given options, if we assume the concept of induced charge is mis - worded in the options, the closest correct idea is that there is an attraction due to charge interaction, and the most likely answer would be that the tissue paper sticks to the balloon as it gets a charge separation due to the charged balloon, but none of the options are completely accurate in scientific terms. If we have to choose, the best option might be considered as the one that mentions sticking due to charge interaction, so if we assume some leniency in the option - writing, the answer could be B (even though the explanation in B about the tissue paper being inherently positively charged is wrong, it at least mentions sticking which is the correct outcome). But strictly speaking, all options have flaws.