Electrostatic force between charges.

The 5kV is the voltage used to charge the big sphere. In summary, the conversation was about a lab where a big sphere was charged with 5kV and used to charge a smaller sphere hanging from a string. The task was to find the relationship between force and separation, which is proportional to the inverse square of the separation. The 5kV was the voltage used to charge the big sphere.
  • #1
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Hi! we did a lab where we charged a big sphere with 5kV, with this sphere we then charged another smaller sphere that was hanging loose from a string by touching it. We had to measure the distance the small sphere moved from its initial position and also the distance from the big sphere to the final position of the small sphere. We did this about 5-6 times, and my task is to find the relationship between force and separation. i read that the force is proportional to square inverse of the seperation. how would i show this on a graph? the separation is the distance from the initial to the final position of the small sphere? and what is the force? the 5kV? or what? help needed thanks
 
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  • #2
The force is the electrostatic force between the two spheres, which is proportional to the inverse square of the separation. You can show this on a graph by plotting the separation (distance from the initial to the final position of the small sphere) on the x-axis, and the electrostatic force on the y-axis. The relationship should be a straight line, with an inverse square dependence.
 
  • #3


Hi there! It sounds like you had a very interesting lab exploring electrostatic forces between charges. The relationship between force and separation is described by Coulomb's Law, which states that the force between two charged objects is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

To show this relationship on a graph, you will need to plot the force (y-axis) against the separation (x-axis). The force should be measured in Newtons (N) and the separation in meters (m). You can then use the data points from your experiment to plot a curve on the graph. If the relationship is truly proportional to the inverse square of the separation, the curve should form a straight line.

The 5kV is the amount of charge that was applied to the big sphere. This charge created an electric field around the sphere, which then exerted a force on the small sphere when they were brought into contact. This force is what you are measuring in your experiment.

I hope this helps clarify things for you. Good luck with your analysis!
 

1. What is electrostatic force?

Electrostatic force is the force of attraction or repulsion between two electrically charged particles. It is a fundamental force in nature and is responsible for many everyday phenomena such as static electricity and lightning.

2. How is electrostatic force calculated?

The magnitude of electrostatic force is calculated using Coulomb's Law, which states that the force between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

3. What is the unit of electrostatic force?

The unit of electrostatic force is the Newton (N), which is the same unit used to measure other types of forces such as gravitational force. In the CGS (centimeter-gram-second) system, the unit of electrostatic force is the dyne (dyn).

4. How does the distance between charges affect the electrostatic force?

The electrostatic force between two charges is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that as the distance between charges increases, the electrostatic force decreases. This relationship is known as the inverse-square law.

5. Can electrostatic force be shielded or canceled out?

Yes, electrostatic force can be shielded or canceled out by placing a conductor between the charged particles. This is because the charges on the conductor will redistribute themselves in such a way that the external electric field is canceled out, resulting in no net electrostatic force.

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