If a charged sphere is brought closed to a rod as shown in figure a on the following page the pairs of pith balls suspended at the ends of the rod will?

Answer 1

Are you serious, or simply unclear on the concept ? ! ?

Right there in the question, in bold letters, it tells you that while you try and think

up an answer, you're supposed to be looking at "figure -a- on the following page",

and yet here you are, looking for an answer from me, but you won't even let me

see either figure -a- or the following page. I don't appreciate that at all.

Answer 2

The pith balls will repel each other if the charged sphere induces a charge on the rod that is the same polarity as the charges on the pith balls. This will cause each pair of pith balls to separate further from each other due to the mutual repulsion.