Question

When an ebonite rod is rubbed with wool, they get oppositely charged due to conduction. Explain.

Answer 1

Hint: Ebonite rod is a rod made by special vulcanized rubber and when rubbed with animal fur it gets charged. Animal fur gets positively charged and, in the rod, negative charge remains.
Before we answer the question lets us understand the concept why this transfer of charge occurs.

Complete step-by-step answer:
The atom of any element is made up of nucleus which consists of neutrons and protons and electrons which revolve around the nucleus. Neutrons are neutral, protons are positively charged and electrons are negatively charged. Hence, we can see that all the parts are made up of charge. Also, one of the basic properties that like poles repel each other and unlike charge repels each other.

Now we must remember that this transfer of charge due to conduction is because of static electricity and static electricity is the result of imbalance between negative and positive charge. These charges get accumulated on the surface of an object and they remain there until they get a way to get released. Rubbing is one process by which they get released and get transferred.

On rubbing an ebonite rod with wool, the electrons from the wool get transferred to the ebonite rod. The wool gets a deficiency of electrons and so it gets positively charged.
On the other hand, the ebonite rod gets excess electrons and hence it gets negatively charged.

Hence, we can say that when an ebonite rod is rubbed with wool, they get oppositely charged due to conduction.

This transfer of electrons from the wool to the ebonite rod is due to the friction between the fur and the rod that makes the ebonite rod to gain electrons from the fur because the electrons in fur are less tightly bound than the electrons in the ebonite rod.

Note: For answering these types of questions we must remember the concept of friction and the electron transfer concept. Also, we must know what happens in the process of conduction. These concepts will help in answering these questions quickly and correctly.