What phenomenon did Thales of Miletus observe when amber is rubbed with fur?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about an observation made by Thales of Miletus regarding a specific phenomenon related to amber and fur. It seeks to identify the correct phenomenon out of the provided options.
Answer
Static electricity, causing amber to attract light objects.
The phenomenon observed by Thales of Miletus is static electricity. When amber is rubbed with fur, it attracts lightweight objects like feathers due to the build-up of electric charge.
Answer for screen readers
The phenomenon observed by Thales of Miletus is static electricity. When amber is rubbed with fur, it attracts lightweight objects like feathers due to the build-up of electric charge.
More Information
Thales' observation marked one of the earliest recorded encounters with static electricity, leading to the understanding of electric charge and laying a foundation for modern electricity.
Tips
A common mistake is confusing this phenomenon with magnetism. Magnetism involves materials that can attract iron or steel, while static electricity involves the attraction of lightweight materials through electric charges.
Sources
- The web page with info on - Amber: an introduction to organic chemistry - scienceinschool.org
- Electric Charge - The Physics Hypertextbook - physics.info
- Historical Introduction - Richard Fitzpatrick - farside.ph.utexas.edu
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