/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 14 Occasionally, people who gain st... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91影视

91影视

Log out

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 21: Problem 14

Occasionally, people who gain static charge by shuffling their feet on the carpet will have their hair stand on end. Why does this happen?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: A person's hair stands on end due to the repulsive forces between the negatively charged strands of hair, which is caused by the electrostatic interaction between charged particles. This occurs when a person shuffles their feet on the carpet, transferring electrons from the carpet to their body, making them negatively charged. The low conductivity of the materials involved maintains the imbalance of charges, causing the hair to repel each other and stand on end.

Step by step solution

01

Review of Static Electricity

Static electricity is the result of an imbalance of electric charges within or on the surface of a material. When two objects are rubbed together, electrons are transferred from one object to another, causing one object to become positively charged and the other to become negatively charged.
02

Generating Static Electricity through Shuffling

When a person shuffles their feet on the carpet, they are rubbing their shoes against the carpet fibers. This friction causes electrons to be transferred from the carpet to the person, making the person's body negatively charged.
03

Hair Standing on End

When the person's body gains a negative charge, the electrons in their hair are repelled by the excess electrons on their body. This repulsion causes the individual strands of hair to repel each other, making them move apart and stand on end.
04

Importance of Conductivity of Materials

The conductivity of the materials involved in the interaction is important. In this case, the carpet, shoes, and hair all have low conductivity, meaning they do not easily allow the flow of electric charges. Therefore, the negative charges remain confined to the person's body and hair, causing the repulsion effect and making the hair stand on end.
05

Conclusion

A person's hair stands on end when they gain static charge by shuffling their feet on the carpet because of the repulsive forces between the negatively charged strands of hair. This repulsion is due to the electrostatic interaction between charged particles, and the low conductivity of the materials involved in the interaction maintains the imbalance of charges.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91影视!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Eight \(1.00-\mu C\) charges are arrayed along the \(y\) -axis located every \(2.00 \mathrm{~cm}\) starting at \(y=0\) and extending to \(y=14.0 \mathrm{~cm} .\) Find the force on the charge at \(y=4.00 \mathrm{~cm} .\)

How many electrons does \(1.00 \mathrm{~kg}\) of water contain?

Two balls have the same mass of \(0.681 \mathrm{~kg}\) and identical charges of \(18.0 \mu \mathrm{C} .\) They hang from the ceiling on strings of identical length as shown in the figure. If the angle with respect to the vertical of the strings is \(20.0^{\circ}\), what is the length of the strings?

Three point charges are positioned on the \(x\) -axis: \(+64.0 \mu \mathrm{C}\) at \(x=0.00 \mathrm{~cm},+80.0 \mu \mathrm{C}\) at \(x=25.0 \mathrm{~cm},\) and \(-160.0 \mu C\) at \(x=50.0 \mathrm{~cm} .\) What is the magnitude of the electrostatic force acting on the \(+64.0-\mu C\) charge?

Two cylindrical glass beads each of mass \(m=10.0 \mathrm{mg}\) are set on their flat ends on a horizontal insulating surface separated by a distance \(d=2.00 \mathrm{~cm} .\) The coefficient of static friction between the beads and the surface is \(\mu_{\mathrm{s}}=0.200 .\) The beads are then given identical charges (magnitude and sign). What is the minimum charge needed to start the beads moving?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

Measurements

Read Explanation

Oscillations

Read Explanation

Quantum Physics

Read Explanation

Solid State Physics

Read Explanation

Engineering Physics

Read Explanation

Nuclear Physics

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.