What should you observe when holding the spoon over the salt and pepper mixture?

When holding the spoon over the salt and pepper mixture, the correct observation is that the particles will jump from the paper to the spoon. This phenomenon can be explained by the interaction between the charged spoon and the neutral particles of salt and pepper. When the spoon is rubbed or charged in some manner (for example, by friction), it can develop a static electric charge which creates an attractive force on the small particles of the mixture.

As a result, the charged spoon attracts the neutral particles, causing them to move towards it. This is an example of static electricity demonstrating the principle of non-contact forces at work, where an object is influenced by a force without direct contact.

In contrast, simply having the particles fall off the paper, float in the air, or stick to the paper does not correctly describe the effect of static electricity in this scenario. The movement of particles in reaction to the spoon's charge is what makes the observation significant and aligns with the principles of contact and non-contact forces.