Question

What causes electrification of two bodies when they are rubbed together?
A. Transfer of atoms from one body to the other body.
B. Transfer of electricity from one body to the other body.
C. Transfer of electrons from one body to the other body.
D. Transfer of heat from one body to the other body.

Answer 1

Hint- We know that all matter is made up of atoms. Atoms contain the subatomic particles such as protons, electrons and neutrons. The number of protons and electrons in an atom will be equal. Hence atoms will be electrically neutral. If an atom loses electrons it becomes positively charged and if an atom gains an electron it becomes negatively charged. Using this we can explain how bodies get charged on rubbing against each other.

Complete step by step solution:
We know that when certain substances are rubbed against each other they are able to attract other substances. For example, a glass rod rubbed with silk is able to attract small pieces of paper.

WE know that all matter is made up of atoms which contain the subatomic particles protons, neutrons and electrons. Protons have positive charge and electrons have negative charge. The atom as a whole remains neutral because the number of protons is equal to the number of electrons. If an atom loses an electron it will become positively charged and if an atom gains an electron it becomes negatively charged. When we rub certain bodies against each other the electrons transfer from one body to the other. That is how these bodies get charged. This process by which an object is converted into an electrically charged one is known as electrification. These charges remain in that object and it is called static electricity since the charges are stationary.

In the case of glass rod rubbed against silk, the glass rod will lose electrons and become positively charged and the silk will gain electrons and get negatively charged. If we rub two glass rods simultaneously against silk and bring these glass rods together then they will repel each other because both are now positively charged. We know like charges repel each other.
Hence the electrification of bodies or the charging of bodies takes place due to the transfer of electrons.

So, the correct answer is option C.

Note: When the charges produced remain in an object it is called static electricity. The static electricity is not produced in all types of material. In the case of metals, the surface gets electrified on friction but the charges formed will be conducted to the other parts immediately. Hence there will be no static electric charge on metals.