If two objects are electrically attracted to each other, both objects must be negatively charged. both objects must be electrically neutral. one object must be negatively charged and the other object must be positively charged. both objects must be positively charged. None of the above statements are absolutely true.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is: one object must be negatively charged and the other object must be positively charged.
When two objects are electrically attracted to each other, this attraction arises from the fundamental nature of electric charges. There are two types of electric charges: positive and negative. According to the law of electrostatics, opposite charges attract and like charges repel. This means that an object with a positive charge will be attracted to an object with a negative charge because they have complementary electric properties.
Electrons carry a negative charge, and protons carry a positive charge. When an object gains excess electrons, it becomes negatively charged. Conversely, when it loses electrons, it becomes positively charged. If you place these oppositely charged objects near each other, they will experience an attractive electrostatic force.
Coulomb’s Law helps quantify this interaction. It states that the force between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. The formula is:
F=k⋅∣q1⋅q2∣r2F = k \cdot \frac{{|q_1 \cdot q_2|}}{{r^2}}
Here, FF is the magnitude of the force, kk is Coulomb’s constant, q1q_1 and q2q_2 are the magnitudes of the charges, and rr is the separation distance. The use of the absolute value means attraction occurs when the two charges have opposite signs.
The other options are incorrect. If both objects have the same type of charge, they repel each other. If both are neutral, there is no net force. So, for electrical attraction, one object must be positively charged and the other negatively charged. This interplay forms the basis of many everyday phenomena, from static cling to the behavior of electrons in atoms. A simple rule applies: unlike charges attract. Always.
