The positively charged rod is brought near the large sphere, but without touching it. The two spheres are separated and lastly the rod removed to a distance. We can then say that (A) the big sphere will be positively charged and the smaller sphere will be negatively charged. (B) both spheres will be positively charged. (C) the big sphere will be negatively charged and the smaller sphere will be positively charged. (D) both spheres will be negatively charged. (E) all the charge will migrate to the smaller sphere.

Static electricity refers to the buildup of electric charge on the surface of objects. This phenomenon can be experienced in everyday life, such as when you rub a balloon against your hair and it sticks to the wall, or when you feel a zap from touching a metal doorknob after walking on a carpet. These minor shocks are a result of the transfer of electrons between two materials that come into contact and then separate.

The static charge that accumulates is typically caused by the imbalance of electrons and protons within an object. Materials can become charged in various ways such as friction, which involves the physical rubbing of one material with another, leading to a transfer of electrons. Another common method is through electrostatic induction, which involves the redistribution of electrical charge in an object caused by the influence of nearby charges.

Understanding these principles helps clarify how objects become charged without direct contact, as exhibited in electrostatic experiments and problems involving charge distribution.

Charge distribution is the manner in which electric charge is spread out within or over the surface of a material. When a charged object, like the positively charged rod from our example, is brought near another object without making contact, it can still affect the distribution of charge on the second object. This is because like charges repel each other while opposite charges attract.

In the scenario given in the exercise, the large sphere, being close to the positively charged rod, experiences a redistribution of charge with electrons moving towards the rod, creating a negatively charged area. By understanding how charges redistribute themselves in response to external electric fields, we can predict the behavior of materials under various conditions, including the seeming migration or shifting of charge when objects are separated or come into contact.

For instance, the charge distribution on the spheres after they are disconnected is a crucial concept. It influences how the spheres end up once the external charging source (the rod) is removed. This behavior is key to solving problems in electrostatics and is directly tied to material properties and the conservation of charge.

Electrostatic induction is a method through which a charged object induces charge separation on another, nearby object without physical contact. In the exercise, this is evidenced by the positively charged rod causing electrons to accumulate on the side of the larger sphere that is nearest to the rod.

During the induction process, the larger sphere becomes polarized - one side becomes negatively charged as electrons are attracted to the positive rod, and the other side, lacking in free electrons, becomes positively charged. If this sphere is connected to another sphere, as in our example, the charge can redistribute between the spheres.

When the connection is broken, each sphere retains its own charge without a change in total charge. It is incredibly important to recognize that the induced charges are not created or destroyed; instead, they are simply separated from an initially neutral state. The complete understanding of electrostatic induction helps students predict and explain the outcomes when charged objects interact with neutral conductors.