Some Natural Phenomena

Topic 15.1 (Lightening)

1. Benjamin Franklin
Topic 15.2 (Charging by Rubbing)
1. Glass rod becomes positively charged due to loss of electrons.
Topic 15.3 (Types of Charges and their Interaction)
1. The charged plastic straw will attract the uncharged one, if brought near to it
because charges of different kind attract each other.
2. They will repel each other because they both acquire same charges.
3. If air and clouds were good conductors of electricity, lightning couldn’t occur
because all the charges collected at the clouds will continuously transfer through
the air that is charges will not accumulate on the cloud so there will be no
lightning.
4. Activity 15.3
5. Activity 15.4
Topic 15.4 (Transfer of charges)
1. i) Charging by Conduction – Contact
ii) Charging by Induction – No Contact
iii) Charging by Friction – Rubbing
2. T.V screen or computer monitor are charged and have static charges
accumulated on them. When we touch them with our hands which are uncharged,
the charges transfer through our hands and we get a slight shock.
3. Plastic strips are insulators, they don’t carry any charge. Therefore we cannot
predict whether an object is charged or not.
4. The aluminum strips will not show any repulsion. The charged body will not
transfer any charge to the ebonite rod, as rod is an insulator. Therefore, no charge
will be there on Aluminum strip.
5. Repeated Question 3 of TOPIC 15.3
6. The electroscope is first charged with known charge, such as positive or
negative. Then the object with unknown charge is brought near to it. If the strips of
electroscope moves apart, then charge on unknown body is same or vice – versa.
7. The charge that was in electroscope strips will get discharged through our hands.
8. If positively charged object is brought in contact with clip of electroscope, the
negative charge given earlier will be neutralized and strips will come closer.
Topic 15.5 (The Story of Lightening)
1. Lightning – Bright flash of light which we see in the clouds is caused by
accumulation of charges.
Thunder – Flash of light in the clouds followed by loud sound.
2. During the development of a thunderstorm, the air currents move upwards while
the water droplets move downwards. These vigorous movements cause separation
of charges that is the positive charges collect near the upper edges of the clouds
and the negative charges accumulate near the lower edges. There is accumulation
of positive charges near the ground also. When the magnitude of positive charges
becomes very large, the air which is normally a poor conductor of electricity is no
longer to resist their flow. Negative and positive charges meet, producing streaks
of bright light and sound.
Topic 15.6 (Lightening Safety)
1. A metallic rod taller than the building is installed in the walls of building during
construction. One end of the rod is kept out in the air and other is buried deep in
the ground. The rod provides easy route for transfer of electric charge to ground.
2. No, it will not be effective because in order to work, it must be connected to the
ground, so that charge can pass through it to the ground.
3. If materials used for constructing a building were good conductors, lightning can
still strike in the building. But inside of building will stay shielded. Therefore, a
lightning conductor need not to be installed.
4. Lightning is an electrical discharge. During lightning, atmospheric charge may
discharge through landline wires and may become dangerous.
5. i) If in Forest, take shelter under shorter trees
ii) If in open field, stay away from poles or metal objects.
Topic 15.7 (Earthquakes)
1. Richter Scale
2. Weak Zones, where earthquakes are more likely to happen.
3. No

Multiple Choice Questions

1. a
2. c
3. a
4. d
5. b
6. c
7. d
8. c
9. a
10. c
11. c
12. d
13. Question Not Right

Assertion – Reason Type Questions

1. d
2. a
3. c
4. b

Case Study

1.
a) The air currents move upwards while the water drops move downwards.
b) The positive charge collects near the upper edges of the clouds and the negative
charges accumulate near the lower edges of the clouds.
c) There is accumulation of positive charges near the ground also. When the
magnitude of accumulated charges becomes very large so air is not able to resist
the flow of charges.
d) Negative and positive charges meet, producing a streaks of blight light and
sound. We see streaks as light.
2.
a) An earthquake is a sudden shaking movement of the surface of the earth.
b) It refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period
of time.
c) The strength or magnitude of an earthquake.
d) i) Many buildings, hospitals, schools etc are destroyed aue to it.
ii) Many people lose their money and property.
e) Surface faulting, tectonic uplift and subsidence, tsunamis, soil liquefaction,
ground resonance, landslide and ground failure.