Can Object A Be Neutral Based on Charge Interactions?

[kickthatbike]

Three objects (A, B, and C) are brought close to each other one at a time. A and B attract, but B and C repel. Simple true/false question involving "is this one positive/negative/etc." What I'm unsure about is whether or not A could possibly be neutral, or more specifically, is there any way to tell with certainty based on the limited information whether or not it IS neutral?

 

[SteamKing]

There are no neutral charges, only positive and negative charges. A neutral particle is neither attracted to nor repulsed by a charged particle.

 

[kickthatbike]

Fair enough. Thank you!

 

[ehild]

Three objects (A, B, and C) are brought close to each other one at a time. A and B attract, but B and C repel. Simple true/false question involving "is this one positive/negative/etc." What I'm unsure about is whether or not A could possibly be neutral, or more specifically, is there any way to tell with certainty based on the limited information whether or not it IS neutral?

A charged object can attract neutral ones by polarizing them. A rubbed plastic rod (or a simple comb) will attract small and light paper pieces. See: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/estatics/u8l1c.cfm (experiment with a rubbed balloon and bits of paper). So you are right, A can be neutral, too.

The problem should have been asked about three point-like charged objects.

ehild

 

[Nickie]

Based on the information provided, it is difficult to determine the exact charges of objects A, B, and C. However, it is possible that object A is neutral. This could be due to the fact that it attracted object B, which is likely to have an opposite charge, and repelled object C, which is likely to have the same charge. This indicates that object A could have a neutral charge, as it is able to interact with both positively and negatively charged objects. Without further information or experimentation, it is not possible to determine the exact charges of these objects with certainty.