Question

This is part of our lab where we put styrafoam plates on a Van de Graaf generator:

STATION 2: Styrofoam plates. Observe the plates on the board. They were placed there after rubbing their back sides on the VdG generator. Notice that if it’s not too humid, that you can take them off and put them back again

There is obviously no adhesive holding them there.

Q5) How are they sticking? Would just any Styrofoam plate stick to the board?

Draw a diagram to explain how this works. Draw enough detail that your non-physics-taking friends would understand.

I need help explaining this. Thank you!

Answer 1

When the styrofoam plates are rubbed on the Van de Graff generator, the charge is induced on them which is opposite to that on the dome of the generator. As this induced charge is opposite to the charge of the dome, so when the plates are brought near to the dome an attactive coulomb force acts between them and they in turn stick to the dome.