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How to Charge an Object Negatively With Only the Help of a Positively Charged Object

Induction is a method of electrically charging an object that has no charge (neutral) with the presence of a charged object. To use induction, the object must be a conductor. The charged object does not touch the neutral object, but it induces the movement of protons and creates an imbalance of charges. When a ground touches the object with the imbalance, excess protons move out of the object leading to another imbalance. Withdrawal of the charged object will leave the originally neutral object with a negative charge. With only the help of a positively-charged object, you can negatively charge an object.

Things You'll Need

Conducting sphere with no charge
Insulated stand for the sphere
Positively-charged tube

Instructions

- 1
  Place the sphere on the insulated stand.The sphere has an equal number of negatively-charged electrons and positively-charged protons, meaning that it has no charge.
- 2
  Move the positively-charged tube near to, but not touching, the left side of the sphere as you face it. Protons in atoms are also positively-charged. Because like charges repel each other, the protons in the sphere move away toward the right side of the sphere in reaction to the positively-charged tube. The movement of the protons causes an imbalance of charge with an excess of positive charge on the right side of the sphere and an excess of negative charge on the left side of the sphere.
- 3
  Touch the right side of the sphere with your finger. You are acting as a ground for the sphere, allowing protons to flow farther away from the positively-charged tube and into you. The sphere now has more negative charge due to the loss of the protons. It is imbalanced on the left side, where the negatively-charged protons are attracted to the nearby positively-charged tube.
- 4
  Pull the positively-charged tube away from near the left side of the sphere. The negative charge distributes itself evenly through the sphere to correct the imbalance. The sphere is now negatively-charged.

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