Answer to Question #102427 in Electricity and Magnetism for Fatima

Question #102427
Each of two small spheres is charged positively, the total charge 52.6 micro C. Each sphere repelled from the other with force of 1.19 N. when the spheres are 1.94 m apart. Calculate the charge on each sphere.
1
Expert's answer
2020-02-06T09:25:07-0500

Let the charge of the first and second spheres q1q_1 and q2q_2. Their sum by the condition of the problem (1) q1+q2=Qtotal=52.6μCq_1+q_2=Q_{total}=52.6 \mu C

The force of electrostatic repulsion is determined by the Coulomb's law as

(2) F=keq1q2r2F=k_e\frac{q_1\cdot q_2}{r^2} , where ke=8.987109Nm2C2k_e=8.987\cdot 10^9 Nm^2C^{-2} is Coulomb's constant [1].

Equations (1) and (2) are a system of two equations with two unknowns. Find solution of the system.

From (1)

(3) q2=Qtotalq1q_2=Q_{total}-q_1

Substitude (3) in (2) and making some simplifications and permutations we get the square eqution for determine q1q_1

(4) q12Qtotalq1+Fr2ke=0q_1^2-Q_{total}\cdot q_1+\frac {F\cdot r^2}{k_e}=0

The solution to this quadratic equation has the form

(5) q1=Qtotal2±(Qtotal2)2Fr2keq_1=\frac{Q_{total}}{2}\pm \sqrt{(\frac{Q_{total}}{2})^2-\frac{F\cdot r^2}{k_e}}

Determine all value of q1q_1

Qtotal2=52.6μC2=26.3106C=2.63105C\frac{Q_{total}}{2}=\frac{52.6\mu C}{2}=26.3\cdot 10^{-6}C=2.63\cdot 10^{-5}C

(Qtotal2)2=6.921010C2(\frac{Q_{total}}{2}) ^2=6.92\cdot 10^{-10}C^2

Fr2ke=1.19N(1.94m)28.987109Nm2C2=0.5109C2=51010C2\frac{F\cdot r^2}{k_e}=\frac{1.19N\cdot (1.94m)^2}{8.987\cdot 10^9 Nm^2C^{-2}}=0.5\cdot 10^{-9}C^2=5\cdot 10^{-10}C^{2}

q1=(2.63105±6.925105)C={4.02if +1.24if 105C={40.2if +12.4if μCq_1=(2.63\cdot 10^{-5}\pm \sqrt{6.92-5}\cdot 10^{-5})C= \begin{cases} 4.02 &\text{if }+ \\ 1.24 &\text{if } - \end{cases}10^{-5}C=\begin{cases} 40.2 &\text{if }+ \\ 12.4 &\text{if } - \end{cases}\mu C

Easy to see that

q2={12.4if +in eqution(5)40.2if in equation(5)μCq_2= \begin{cases} 12.4 &\text{if }+ in\ eqution (5) \\ 40.2 &\text{if } - in\ equation (5) \end{cases}\mu C

So we actually have one solution namely, one of the spheres (anyway, which one) has a charge 40.2μC40.2 \mu C and the other 12.4μC12.4 \mu C.

Answer: The charge on one sphere is 40.2 micro C and the other 12.4 micro C.

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coulomb%27s_law


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