An inflated balloon was pressed against a wall after it has been rubbed with a piece of synthetic cloth. It was found that the balloon sticks to the wall. What force might be responsible for the attraction between the balloon and the wall ?

Options

A. Gravitational force
B. Electrostatic force
C. Muscular force
D. Frictional force

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding the Initial Condition**:
- We start with an inflated balloon and a piece of synthetic cloth. When the balloon is rubbed with the cloth, both objects become electrically charged.

2. **Charging Process**:
- During the rubbing process, the balloon gains a positive charge, while the synthetic cloth acquires an equal but opposite negative charge. This is due to the transfer of electrons from one material to the other.

3. **Bringing the Balloon Near the Wall**:
- When the positively charged balloon is brought close to a neutral wall, the wall initially has no net charge.

4. **Induction of Charge on the Wall**:
- The presence of the positively charged balloon induces a negative charge on the surface of the wall. This occurs because the positive charge of the balloon repels the positive charges in the wall and attracts the negative charges, causing a separation of charges.

5. **Attraction Between Charges**:
- Now, the wall has a negative charge on the side facing the balloon, while the balloon retains its positive charge. According to the principle that opposite charges attract, there is an attractive force between the balloon and the wall.

6. **Conclusion**:
- The force responsible for the attraction between the balloon and the wall is called the electrostatic force. This force arises due to the interaction of the charged balloon with the induced charges on the wall.

**Final Answer**: The force responsible for the attraction between the balloon and the wall is the **electrostatic force**.

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