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Charging by Induction:
Charging by induction is a charging process that involves charging an object without touching the object to a charged object. The charged object is brought near to the object to be charged (a neutral object). The charged object's presence induces a movement of electrons within the neutral object, causing it to become polarized. Then the neutral object is touched to a ground, causing a transfer of electrons between ground the neutral object. The ground is pulled away, the charged object is pulled away and the neutral object has been charged. When the process is complete, both objects are charged with the opposite type of charge.
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Opposites attract. Likes repel. And only electrons can move. That's the key to understanding charging by induction. When the positively charged balloon is brought near the conducting sphere, a movement of electrons is induced within the sphere. Which way will they move? Being attracted by the positively charged balloon, electrons will tend to move from the right side of the sphere to the left side in order to get closer to the balloon. Charge is now polarized within the sphere, with the right side having lost electrons and left side having gained electrons. When the sphere is touched to the ground, electrons in the ground are attracted to the positively charged balloon as well. They enter the sphere from the ground and the sphere becomes charged. The sphere is said to have been charged by induction with the positively charged balloon.
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