Answer to Question #314333 in Electric Circuits for Lea

Question

A metal ball is supported on an insulating stand. You wish to place a positive charge on the ball, but you have only an object that carries a negative charge. Explain how you could accomplish your aim.

Answer 1

Answer

Bring a negatively charged rod close to a metallic sphere placed on a insulated stand. As the rod is brought close to the sphere, the free electrons in the sphere move away due to repulsion and start piling up at the farther end. The near end becomes positively charged due to deficit of electrons.