Explain why when you transfer charge to a person who is insulated from the ground, their hair moves away from their body
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Explain why when you transfer charge to a person who is insulated from the ground, their hair moves away from their body
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When you transfer charge to a person who is insulated from the ground, their hair moves away from their body because of a phenomenon called static electricity.
Static electricity is the buildup of electric charge on an object. It can be caused by friction, when two objects rub against each other. When you rub a balloon against your hair, for example, electrons are transferred from your hair to the balloon. This gives the balloon a negative charge and your hair a positive charge.
Opposite charges attract, and like charges repel. So, the negatively charged balloon will be attracted to the positively charged hair on your head. This is why your hair stands on end when you rub a balloon against it.
If you transfer charge to a person who is insulated from the ground, the charge will build up on their body. Their hair will stand on end because the positively charged hairs will repel each other.
Another way to think about it is that the electric field around the person's head will be distorted by the charge on their body. This distorted electric field will cause the hairs on their head to move away from each other.
Another way to think about it is that the electric field around the person's head will be distorted by the charge on their body. This distorted electric field will cause the hairs on their head to move away from each other.
To illustrate this, let's say you have a positively charged metal rod. If you hold the rod near a person's head, the hairs on their head will stand on end. This is because the positive charge on the rod will induce a negative charge on the scalp. The negative charge on the scalp will then repel the positively charged hairs on the head.
The effect is even more pronounced if the person is insulated from the ground. This is because the charge will not be able to flow away from the person's body. As a result, the charge will build up and the electric field around the person's head will become more distorted. This will cause the hairs on their head to stand even further away from each other.
Static electricity can be a nuisance, but it is also a fascinating phenomenon. It is a reminder that even the smallest objects can carry a powerful electric charge.