Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A plastic ruler is rubbed with wool and gains electrons. The mass of an electron is kg. What is the size of the charge on the ruler? How much mass does the ruler gain? Is the charge positive or negative?
Charge is quantised, with C, and it is conserved. A body that gains electrons has a charge . Identical metal spheres that touch share their total charge equally. In charging by induction a body ends with the sign opposite to that of the rod.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Given. , C, kg.
Step 1. The charge. .
Step 2. The mass. .
Step 3. The sign. The ruler gained electrons, so its charge is negative.
Answer: nC, and a gain of kg.
Check. Ten billion electrons make nC. We have times as many, so nC. It fits. The extra mass is far too small to measure.
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