Answer to Question #234034 in Electricity and Magnetism for ayme

Question

when a positively charged rod is brought near an isolated neutral conductor without touching it, will the rod experience an attractive force, a repulsive force, or no force at all

Answer 1

This question relates to “charging by induction”. Unlike charge is induced on the surface of the neutral conductor when it is placed close to a charged body. 

When a positively charged rod brought close to an isolated neutral conductor without touching it, then the rod will experience an attractive force. Negative charge is induced on an uncharged natural conductor due to the positively charged rod. Unlike charges are attracted, so positively charged rod and negatively charged natural conductor are attracted together and the rod experiences an attractive force.