Question

Explain the process of why the balloon is attracted to the wall, and why electrons are not transferred in this process. Is the wall a conductor or an insulator

Answer 1

Answer:

The process by which the balloon is attracted and possibly sticks to the wall is known as static electricity which is the attraction or repulsion between electric charges which are not free to move.

The wall is an insulator.

Explanation:

When a balloon is blown and tied off, and then the balloon is rubbed on the woolly object once in one direction, and the side that was rubbed against the wool is brought near a wall and then released, it is observed that the balloon is attracted to and sticks to the wall. The above observation is due to static electricity.

Static electricity refers to electric charges that are not free to move or that are static. One of the means of generating such charges is by friction. When the balloon is rubbed on the woollen material, electrons are given away to the balloon's surface. Since the balloon is an insulator (materials which do not allow electricity to pass through them easily), the electrons are not free to move. When the balloon is brought near to a wall, there is a rearrangement of the charges present on the wall. Negative charges on the wall move farther away while the positive charges on the wall are attracted to the electrons on the balloon's surface. Because the wall is also an insulator, the charges are not discharged immediately. Therefore, this attraction between opposite charges as well as the static nature of the charges results in the balloon sticking to the wall.