What happens when a positive charge is brought close to a negative charge?

• A. They repel each other
• B. They attract each other
• C. They cancel each other out
• D. They create static discharge

Answer: (B)

When a positive charge is brought close to a negative charge, they attract each other due to the fundamental principle of electrostatics. Positive and negative charges exert forces on each other; opposites attract. This attraction occurs because the electric field generated by the positive charge influences the negative charge, pulling it closer.

The interactions between charges are dictated by Coulomb's Law, which describes how the force between two charges varies with the distance between them and the magnitudes of the charges. In this scenario, since one charge is positive and the other is negative, the system experiences an attractive force, leading to a tendency for them to come together.

Other concepts like repulsion or cancellation don't apply to this specific situation, as they involve different charge relationships. Static discharge refers to the rapid transfer of charge that occurs typically in a different context, such as when there is a significant potential difference between two objects. Thus, the interaction between a positive and a negative charge is characterized primarily by attraction.