The electric force between two charged particles becomes weaker with increasing distance. Suppose instead that the electric force were independent of distance. In this case, would a charged comb still cause a neutral insulator to become polarized as in Fig. 21.8? Why or why not? Would the neutral insulator still be attracted to the comb? Again, why or why not?
The electric force between two charged particles becomes weaker with increasing distance. Suppose instead that the electric force were independent of distance. In this case, would a charged comb still cause a neutral insulator to become polarized as in Fig. 21.8? Why or why not? Would the neutral insulator still be attracted to the comb? Again, why or why not?
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The electric force between two charged particles becomes
weaker with increasing distance. Suppose instead that the electric
force were independent of distance. In this case, would a charged
comb still cause a neutral insulator to become polarized as in
Fig. 21.8? Why or why not? Would the neutral insulator still be
attracted to the comb? Again, why or why not?

Transcribed Image Text:21.8 The charges within the molecules of an insulating material can shift slightly. As a result, a comb with either
sign of charge attracts a neutral insulator. By Newton's third law the neutral insulator exerts an equal-magnitude
attractive force on the comb.
(a) A charged comb picking up uncharged
pieces of plastic
(b) How a negatively charged comb attracts an
insulator
(c) How a positively charged comb attracts an
insulator
Electrons in cach
molecule of the neutral
This time, electrons in
insulator shift away
from the comb.
the molecules shift
toward the comb .
*Negatively
charged comb
Positively
charged comb
. so the
(-) charges in each
As a result, the
(+) charges in each
molecule are closer to
molecule are closer to
the comb than are the (-)
the comb, and feel a
stronger force from it, than
the (+) charges. Again, the net
charges and so feel a stronger
force from the comb. Therefore
force is attractive.
the net forse is altractive
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