Microbes such as bacteria have small positive charges when in solution. Public h

Question

Microbes such as bacteria have small positive charges when
in solution. Public health agencies are exploring a new way to
measure the presence of small numbers of microbes in drinking
water by using electric forces to concentrate the microbes.
Water is sent between the two oppositely charged electrodes of
a parallel-plate capacitor. Any microbes in the water will collect
on one of the electrodes.
a. On which electrode will the microbes collect?
b. How could the microbes be easily removed from the electrodes
for analysis?

Explanation / Answer

Here ,
a)

as the charge on the microbes is positive

the microbes will be attracted by the negative electrode and repelled by the positve electrode.

negative electrode will the microbes collect.

b)
for easily removing the elctrode ,

we can remove the negative electrode and collect microbes from the negative electrode

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