The law of attraction in electricity states that opposite electric charges attract each other. This fundamental principle governs how charged objects interact.
Understanding Electrical Attraction
Electrical charge comes in two forms: positive and negative. Objects with the same type of charge repel each other, while objects with opposite charges attract each other.
How it Works: Electric Fields
An electric charge creates an electric field around it. This field exerts a force on any other charge that enters it.
- Positive Charge: The electric field points away from the positive charge.
- Negative Charge: The electric field points towards the negative charge.
According to the provided information, "If a positive charge and a negative charge interact, their forces act in the same direction, from the positive to the negative charge. As a result opposite charges attract each other: The electric field and resulting forces produced by two electrical charges of opposite polarity. The two charges attract each other." This describes the fundamental mechanism behind electrical attraction.
Examples of Electrical Attraction
- Static Electricity: When you rub a balloon on your hair, electrons transfer from your hair to the balloon, giving the balloon a negative charge and your hair a positive charge. The balloon then sticks to your hair due to the attraction between the opposite charges.
- Atoms: The negatively charged electrons are attracted to the positively charged nucleus, holding the atom together.
Repulsion and Attraction Compared
The following table summarizes the rules for electrical attraction and repulsion:
| Charge 1 | Charge 2 | Interaction |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Positive | Repulsion |
| Negative | Negative | Repulsion |
| Positive | Negative | Attraction |
