If two identical conductive objects touch, how do the charges and voltages distribute?

If two identical conductive objects touch, how do the charges and voltages distribute?

• A. They share charge so both have same charge and same voltage
• B. One becomes highly charged, the other neutral
• C. Charge remains on the larger object
• D. Voltage doubles for both

Answer: (A)

When conductors touch, charges move so that both objects reach the same electrical potential, since touching makes them one conductor. If the objects are identical, they have the same capacitance, so the total charge splits equally between them. The total charge is conserved, so each ends up with half of the total charge, and because they share the same capacitance, the voltage on each is the same (V = Q/C with Q the same on both and C equal). So they end up with the same charge and the same voltage. The other ideas don’t fit because contact allows charge to flow to equalize potential, the larger object doesn’t necessarily keep all the charge, and the voltage isn’t simply doubled—it's determined by the total charge and the equal capacitances, yielding equal voltages.

When conductors touch, charges move so that both objects reach the same electrical potential, since touching makes them one conductor. If the objects are identical, they have the same capacitance, so the total charge splits equally between them. The total charge is conserved, so each ends up with half of the total charge, and because they share the same capacitance, the voltage on each is the same (V = Q/C with Q the same on both and C equal).

So they end up with the same charge and the same voltage. The other ideas don’t fit because contact allows charge to flow to equalize potential, the larger object doesn’t necessarily keep all the charge, and the voltage isn’t simply doubled—it's determined by the total charge and the equal capacitances, yielding equal voltages.