SCHOLARS ROSARY SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL [2020-21]

SCIENCE
CLASS: VIII
Day : Wednesday Question / Answer Date 20.01.2021
CHAPTER 14: (Some Natural Phenomenon)
Part –D (Short Answer Question)
Q1. Explain why, when two bodies, charged by rubbing them together, acquire equal and opposite
charge.
ANS In an atom, the positively charged particles are firmly bounded, whereas the negatively charged particles
are loosely bounded. So, when two bodies are rubbed together, some negatively charged particles move
from one body to another. Thus, the body losing negative charges becomes positively charged and the
body gaining negative charges becomes negatively charged.

Q2. What is the difference between static and current electricity?

ANS:
Static Electricity Current Electricity
Static electricity is the study Current electricity is the
of charges at rest. study of charges in motion.
When a body is charged by The flow of current in a
rubbing, it acquires static conductor is called an
electricity. electric current.

Q3. What is an electric discharge? Under what conditions does it occur?

ANS The loss of static electricity as charges move from an object is called an electric discharge. When two
objects with opposite charges come close to each other, there is a sudden flow of electricity between
them. For example, when two clouds with unlike charges come close to each other, a very heavy current
passes through the air; this results in lightning.

Q4. In what situation can lightning be dangerous? How can the danger to tall buildings be reduced?
ANS Clouds can charge tall buildings by induction. The buildings, thus, acquire the opposite charge. If the
built-up charge is very heavy, a heavy flow of electric charge can occur between the clouds and the
buildings. This can result in the buildings catching fire. To protect tall buildings from damage by
lightning, a lightning conductor is fixed on them. If lightning strikes a building, it flows harmlessly to
the earth through the lightning conductor, causing no damage to the building.

Q5. How does a lightning conductor work?

ANS To protect tall buildings from damage by lightning, lightning conductors are fixed on them. A lightning
conductor consists of a metal rod ending in spikes at the top. The lower end of the rod is attached to a
copper plate buried deep in the earth. If lightning strikes a building, it flows harmlessly to the earth
through the metal rod, causing no damage to the building.
Q6. List four precautions you will take to save yourself from a lightning strike during a thunderstorm.
ANS We can take the following precautions to save ourselves from lightning strikes during a thunderstorm:
(1) We can take shelter in a building with lightning conductor.
(2) A car or bus with closed windows is also a safe place to take shelter.
(3) We should avoid taking shelter under a tall tree, as lightning may strike it.
(4) An open elevated place is not a safe place to be in. If in an open place, we should stay away from
trees and poles.

Q7. What is the Richter scale? Why do we say that it is not a linear scale?
ANS The magnitude or intensity of an earthquake is measured on the Richter scale. The number indicating the
intensity of an earthquake on the Richter scale ranges from 0 to 9. The Richter scale is not a linear scale
because the amplitude of vibrations of an earthquake varies nonlinearly with the number on the scale.

Q8. List three effects of an earthquake.

ANS An earthquake may cause the following effects:
(1) It can result in the deformation of the surface of the ground.
(2) It can damage man-made structures such as buildings, roads, rails and bridges.
(3) It can cause landslides and human causalities in hilly areas.

Part –E (Long Answer Question)

Q1. Draw a labelled diagram of a gold-leaf electroscope. Describe how you will use it to detect a
charge, measure a charge, and find the nature of the charge.
ANS. Gold-leaf Electroscope

Rod

Process to Detect and Measure Charge

If a charged body (for example, ebonite rod) is touched to the metal disc of the gold-leaf electroscope,
the metal strips of the electroscope gets charged by conduction. They repel each other and open up. In
this way, we can detect whether an object is charged or not.
Process to Know the Nature of Charge
To check whether a body has a positive or negative charge, we need a charged electroscope with a
known charge. We need to touch the charged body to the metal disc of the electroscope. If the
divergence of the leaves increases, the body has a charge similar to that of the charged electroscope; and
if the divergence of the leaves decreases, the body has a charge opposite to that of the electroscope.
Q2. Explain how lightning occurs between two clouds during a storm.
ANS During a storm, air currents with small water droplets move upwards, while those with big water
droplets move downwards. These vigorous movements cause the separation of charges due to friction.
The positively charged light droplets get collected near the upper edges of the clouds, while the
negatively charged big water droplets get accumulated near the lower edges. There is also accumulation
of positive charges near the ground because of induction. When the magnitude of the accumulated
charges becomes very large, the air between the two clouds (with unlike charges), which is an insulator,
no longer resists these clouds. As a result, the negative and positive charges meet, producing streaks of
bright light and sound due to electric discharge. This process is called lightning.

Q3. Explain the process of lightning striking a building or tree.

ANS Clouds can charge tall buildings or trees. The negative charge on the lower edge of the clouds leads
to accumulation of positive charge on the upper portion of the buildings or trees due to induction. If the
magnitude of the accumulated charges is very large, the air that acts as an insulator between the clouds
and the buildings could no longer resists the charges. As a result, a very heavy charge passes through the
air in short time because of the electric discharge and huge amount of energy releases in the form of
heat, light and sound. This process is called lightning. When lightning strikes a building or tree,
it catches fire because of the huge amount of energy released.

Q4. In what ways is lightning useful?

ANS: Lightning is useful to us in the following ways:
(1) The heat and light released during lightning enable nitrogen in the air to combine with oxygen to
form oxides of nitrogen. These get dissolved in water to form dilute nitric acid that comes down with
rain. The acid reacts with salts in the soil to form nitrogenous compounds that are essential for the
growth of plants.
(2) Lightning also enables ozone to be formed from the oxygen in the air. The ozone present in the air
stops the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun from reaching us.

Q5. Explain how an earthquake occurs.

ANS Earthquakes are caused by disturbances deep down the uppermost layer of the earth known as the crust.
The tectonic plates of the earth float over the hot magma below and are in relative motion to each other.
When these plates collide and when the rocks at the joints are sufficiently slippery, the plates slide over
each other. However, sometimes, the rocks at the joints get interlocked and struck, thus resisting
pressure from within. For years, the forces pushing the plates build up until the strain rips the plates
apart. As a result, the rocks crack and shift, sending shock waves in all directions. These waves reach the
surface and are felt as tremors.

Q6. List three things you will do during an earthquake.

ANS: We should do the following things during an earthquake:
1. We should leave the building where we are and move to some open area. In outdoors, we should be
away from high buildings, trees, electric poles, etc.
2. If we are trapped in a building, we should take shelter under a table, protecting our head with hands, and
should not move until the shaking stops. It is better to avoid lift during an earthquake.
3. If we are in a car or bus, we should not come out until the tremors stop.

HOTS
Q1. Why are taller buildings in greater danger of being struck by lightning?
ANS Lightning is a fairly random occurrence. It may strike a tall building or a small house. But it causes
greater danger to a tall building because a lot of material is used in its construction. If lightning strikes a
tall building, the huge current involved can heat the building material to a high temperature, causing a
potential for fire.
Q2. When a positively-charged body is brought near an uncharged metal rod, the part of the rod near
the charged body acquires a negative charge, and the far side a positive charge. Can you say why
this happens? Remember that in a body, negative charges are mobile whereas positive charges are
fixed.
ANS When a positively charged body is brought near an uncharged metal rod, the part of the rod near the
charged body acquires a negative charge because of the process of induction. The positively charged
body attracts the negative charges, i.e., electrons towards it. The negative charges get accumulated near
the end of the metal rod. The far end of the rod becomes positively charged because of the deficiency of
negative charges.

Q3. If you hold a plastic comb in your hand and rub it in your hair, it will get charged. However, if
you do the same with a metal comb it will not get charged. Why? But if the metal comb has a
plastic handle and you hold it from the handle, it will also get charged. Why?
ANS Plastic is an insulator, whereas metals are good conductors of electricity. When a plastic comb is rubbed
on our hair, it acquires static charges, which do not move. If we do the same with a metal comb, it will
not hold static electricity; the charges move from the comb to our body. But if the metal comb has a
plastic handle, it will hold the charges, as the charges cannot move from the comb to our body.

Q4. Why do you think charging by rubbing happens best in dry weather?
ANS Charging by rubbing happens best in dry weather. Air is an insulator, but the presence of moisture in air
makes it conductive, which, in turn, makes static charges to flow through the air to make the object
electrically neutral. Because the moisture level is quite low in dry weather, charging happens best in it.

Q5. The rod of a lightning conductor accidentally broke into two from the middle. What danger will
this pose if lightning strikes the building? Why?
ANS If the rod of a lightning conductor installed in a building accidently breaks into two from the middle and
lightning strikes that building, it can cause huge damage to life and property. The heavy charges
would easily find another conductive path through the building structure such as building wiring or
plumbing and cause fire or other disaster.