Electric charge is a physical property. It occurs between particles or objects. It causes them to attract or repel each other. They do not even have to touch. This is unlike the typical push or pull you may be familiar with. All electric charge is based on the protons and electrons in atoms. A proton has a positive electric charge. An electron has a negative electric charge. Forces on Charged Objects Most atoms are balanced electrically. They have the same number of positive and negative charges. Therefore, the number of protons equals the number of electrons. Neutrons do not matter as they have no charge. When an object loses some electrons, it becomes positively charged. There are now more protons than electrons inside the atom. The lost electrons may remain free. Or, they may attach to another object. The new object now has more electrons than protons. It then becomes negatively charged.

Question: "What kind of charge does a proton have?"

Answer: "A proton has a neutral charge"

Response: no

When you get sick, your body springs to action. Your body starts to fight the illness. Thats why you want to eat right and get plenty of sleep. You need a strong immune system to fight off illness. Plants dont have an immune system. That does not mean they do not get sick. Plants are affected by disease just like us. Typically, their first line of defense is the death of part of the plant. This prevents the infection from spreading. Many plants also produce special chemicals to fight disease. For example, willow trees produce a chemical to kill the bacteria. The same compound is used in many acne products. You can see a picture of a willow tree in Figure Plants may be smarter than we think. No, they cannot talk to each other. They may be able to send messages, though.

Question: "What takes place first, when a disease starts eating away at a plant?"

Answer: "The infected part of the plant begins to die off"

Response: yes

Thelma James was a prime candidate for a real estate ripoff: She is 68, has precious little money and can't read or write. "I won't lie to you. I was so-o-o excited," the widow and former duplex dweller said of the purchase of her first home, a sagging frame structure on Snowden. "I was glad to get me a house." When James realized she had been swindled she turned to Memphis Area Legal Services, which represented her in a lawsuit. Now, James's monthly house notes have dropped from $796 - more than twice her monthly income - to an affordable $247. Some of the people who took advantage of her through a questionable loan program were sent to jail. "I don't know what I would have done without Legal Services," said James. "They solved a lot of my problems." James is one of more than 3,000 clients served last year by MALS, which provides assistance for civil matters, such as domestic abuse and family-related problems, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, veterans, housing and consumer fraud cases. Like James, most clients are elderly or female. Some are handicapped. Some need medical care or veteran's benefits. Some are trying to escape eviction or an abusive marriage. And 87 percent live at or below poverty level. Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton recently said Legal Services is important for those who, because of poverty or other struggles in life, think justice is an empty word. "They must be given reason to believe that the law is for them too," said Wharton, a former executive director of MALS. But MALS faces a funding crunch next year, brought on by a $200,000 shortfall from three revenue sources.

Question: "Who are some of the clients that MALS serve?"

Answer: "Living at or below poverty level"

Response: yes

Rough surfaces create more friction than smooth surfaces. Thats why cars have tires. Its also why we use rubber mats in areas that might get wet. In your bathtub, you may even use No-Slip tape. No-slip is another way of saying the items has a lot of friction. In Figure 1.9, the blades of the skates are very smooth. Thats why you cant slide across ice with shoes. The soles of your shoes are much rougher than skates. The rougher surface of shoes causes more friction and slows you down. Heavier objects also have more friction. A heavy object presses down with more force. The surfaces are held together more tightly. This makes the surfaces harder to slide past each other. Did you ever try to push something heavy across the floor? Heavy objects are much harder to push than light objects.

Question: "What is harder to do when surfaces are held together more tightly?"

Answer: "Surfaces harder to slide past each other"

Response:
yes