Question

1. three students did an investigation to provide evidence that fields exist between objects. they were given these steps to follow. 1. blow up a balloon. 2. rub the balloon on your hair. 3. bring the balloon close to an empty aluminum can (without touching the can). 4. observe the motion of the can. two students observed that the can rolled toward the balloon. the third student was not able to produce any motion in the can. explain why the first two students observed movement and what error the third student most likely made. use the term \electric field\ in your answer. (1 paragraph – 5 sentences)

Explanation:

When the first two students rubbed the balloon on their hair, static electricity was generated, causing the balloon to become charged. This charged balloon creates an electric field around it. The aluminum can, being a conductor, has free charges that redistribute in the presence of this electric field, leading to the can being attracted to the balloon and rolling toward it. The third student likely failed to generate static charge, perhaps because they didn’t rub the balloon sufficiently or their hair was too dry (or another factor preventing charge transfer), so no electric field was created to exert a force on the can, resulting in no motion.

Answer:

The first two students observed movement because rubbing the balloon on hair transferred charge, creating an electric field around the balloon. This field induced charge separation in the aluminum can (a conductor), causing electrostatic attraction that made the can roll toward the balloon. The third student most likely made an error in charging the balloon (e.g., insufficient rubbing, no charge transfer), so no electric field was produced to exert a force on the can, resulting in no motion.