Section 1

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Chapter 17: Electric Forces and Fields

1. A force of attraction always exists between two charged objects when A. the charges on both objects have different magnitudes. B. the charges on both objects have equal magnitudes. C. the charges on the objects have opposite signs. D. both objects have charges with the same sign.

Correct. A force of attraction always occurs between charges that have opposite signs. The magnitude of this force depends on the magnitude of each individual charge.

2. In the diagram below, the circles represent small balls that have electric charges. Ball 1 has a positive charge, and ball 2 is repelled by ball 1. Ball 2 repels ball 3, and ball 3 attracts ball 4. What is the electric charge on ball 4?

A. Ball 4 has a positive charge. B. Ball 4 has a negative charge. C. Ball 4 may have either a positive or negative charge. D. It is not possible to know the charge on ball 4. 3. The atoms of objects that are positively charged have A. lost electrons. B. gained electrons. C. lost protons. D. gained protons.

Correct. Like ball 1, ball 2 must be positive because balls 1 and 2 repel. Likewise, ball 3 must be positive. Ball 4 must be negative because it is attracted to the positively charged ball 3.

Correct. The transfer of electrons charges atoms. To become positively charged, an object must lose electrons from its atoms.

4. The fundamental unit of electric charge is equal to the charge on a(n) A. hydrogen atom. B. oil drop. C. single electron. D. single neutron. 5. A material that has few freely moving charge carriers is most likely to be classified as a(n) A. metal. B. semiconductor. C. insulator. D. conductor. 6. The process of charging by contact works

Correct. The unit of electric charge is the amount of charge on a single electron. This charge is also the charge on a single proton but with an opposite polarity. All charges on objects are integer multiples of this charge; there are no fractional charges.

Correct. An insulator has very few freely moving charge carriers. Because an insulator has few freely moving charge carriers, its ability to transfer charge is poor.

Correct. When unlike materials rub against each other, some of the electrons in one of B. only for conductors. the materials are transferred to the other object. This transfer of electrons results in C. when unlike materials rub against each other. one of the objects having a positive charge D. when a charged object comes in contact with the ground. and the other having a negative charge.
A. only for insulators. 7. A conductor can be charged by ____________, but an insulator cannot. A. grounding B. induction C. polarization D. contact

Correct. When a charged object is brought close to a conductor, the charge distribution of the conductor is rearranged, and grounding the conductor allows excess charge from a portion of the conductor to be removed. In an insulator, the charges are not free to move; therefore, grounding the insulator does not allow charge to be removed.

8. A negatively charged sheet of plastic will stick to a glass window by A. taking electrons from the glass. B. taking protons from the glass. C. giving electrons to the glass. D. polarizing the glass.

Correct. The glass becomes polarized because the negatively charged plastic causes electrons to move away from the glass surface near the plastic. The glass surface has become polarized and has attained a positive charge.