The students again start with spheres W, X, and Y uncharged, and sphere Z with a +40μC charge. They use metal rods to connect the spheres in a square whose sides are much greater than the diameter of the spheres. The students wear insulating gloves while handling the spheres and rods. The students predict that each sphere will now have +10μC of charge. When they measure the charge on each sphere, they find that there is only +8μC of charge on each sphere. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the difference between the students’ prediction and measurement?