Answer to Question #61595 in Electricity and Magnetism for hamid

Question

a) If we rub two bodies together, so that one becomes +vely charge & the other -vely. does this mean that CHARGES (electron) moved from +vely charge body to -vely charge body?
b) If it is the case then after some time they lose their property of interaction(repulsion,attraction) . Where does these charges go?

Answer 1

a) It is means that when two bodies are rubbed one body loses some electrons (only a negligible amount) and the other body gains this electrons, therefore the body that loses electrons becomes positively charged and the one that gains it becomes negatively charged. (For the system the number of positive charges is equal to the number of negative charges hence charge is conserved).
b) The moisture in the air takes away excess charge over time. This leads to loss of them of property of interaction (repulsion, attraction).