Question

two lab partners are doing a static electricity investigation. they begin with a negatively - charged pop can. after conducting the procedure, they observe that the pop can has become electrically neutral. which statement accurately explains how this happened?
electrons were added to the object.
protons were added to the object.
electrons were removed from the object.
protons were removed from the object.

Explanation:

• A negatively - charged object has an excess of electrons.
• For an object to become electrically neutral (have no net charge), the excess of electrons must be removed.
• Protons are in the nucleus of an atom and are not easily added or removed in static electricity experiments (except in nuclear reactions which are not relevant here). Adding electrons would make the object more negatively charged.

Answer:

Electrons were removed from the object.