What happens when an object gains electrons?

What happens when an object gains electrons?

• A. It becomes negatively charged
• B. It becomes positively charged
• C. It becomes neutral
• D. It stops conducting electricity

Answer: (A)

Gaining electrons adds negative charge because electrons carry a negative charge. Each extra electron increases the object's overall negative charge, so a neutral object becomes negatively charged, and an already negatively charged object becomes even more negative. This would not make the object positively charged—that happens when electrons are lost. Neutrality would require the total positive and negative charges to balance, which is not the result of simply gaining electrons.

Gaining electrons adds negative charge because electrons carry a negative charge. Each extra electron increases the object's overall negative charge, so a neutral object becomes negatively charged, and an already negatively charged object becomes even more negative. This would not make the object positively charged—that happens when electrons are lost. Neutrality would require the total positive and negative charges to balance, which is not the result of simply gaining electrons.