1. When the ebonite rod is brought close to the pith ball:
* Induction: The negative charges on the ebonite rod repel the electrons in the pith ball. This causes a separation of charge within the pith ball. The negative charges are pushed away from the rod, leaving the side of the pith ball closest to the rod with a net positive charge.
* Attraction: The opposite charges attract, so the pith ball will be drawn towards the ebonite rod. This is because the positive charge on the pith ball is closer to the negative charge on the rod, leading to a stronger attraction than the repulsion between the negative charges.
2. When the ebonite rod is moved further away from the pith ball:
* Charge Distribution Returns: The negative charges in the pith ball, which had been repelled to the far side, now have less repulsion from the rod. They gradually move back towards their original distribution, creating a more neutral charge distribution.
* Attraction Decreases: As the distance between the rod and the pith ball increases, the force of attraction weakens. The pith ball may no longer be attracted to the rod.
Key Points:
* No Direct Transfer: Notice that the pith ball doesn't actually gain a permanent negative charge from the ebonite rod. The separation of charges is only temporary due to induction.
* Attraction vs. Repulsion: The ebonite rod (negatively charged) will always attract an uncharged pith ball due to the induction of opposite charges. If the pith ball were already negatively charged, it would be repelled by the ebonite rod.
Let me know if you'd like more explanation or have any other questions!
