The charge accumulates on an object is determined by the ___ used to produce the charge.

• A. Heat
• B. Materials
• C. Distance
• D. Humidity

Answer: (B)

The material involved in generating the charge sets how much charge ends up on the object. Different materials have different tendencies to gain or lose electrons when they contact and are separated, so the amount and sign of the charge depend on which materials are used in the charging process. This is the idea behind the triboelectric effect, where each material has a place in a series that ranks how easily it tends to become positively or negatively charged. Humidity and other factors can influence how long that charge lasts, or how quickly it leaks away, but the starting amount of charge produced is determined by the material involved.