Recent content by zachem62

You're right it all comes down to trig and sum of forces in x and y directions. I figured it out now. Thanks.

Homework Statement Show that the magnitude of the electric force on each ball is given by Fe = mgtanθ/ (cosα+ sinαtanθ) where θ = arcsin(x2/L) α = arcsin((y2-y1)/r) r = √((x2-x1)^2+(y2-y1)^2) This is a question from my coulomb's law lab, where 2 styrofoam balls where charged, one was hung on a...

That sucks. I'm literally at the last step, having just the angle to solve for and its a dead end. I just wish there was a way to solve this because I don't think I can reference wolfram alpha when I submit my assignment.

Okay so in part (a) I had these equations: Fe=Fgtanθ=mgtanθ and L = r/(2sinθ). If I plugged in r = √(kq1q2/Fe) in L = r/(2sinθ) I would have L = √(kq1q2/Fe)/(2sinθ). Plugging in Fe=Fgtanθ=mgtanθ into that equation would yield L = √(kq1q2/(mgtanθ))/(2sinθ). So in this equation I have everything...

Okay so you're suggesting I should just assume its gone back to being in static equilibrium and just apply the same equations from part (a)?

But in that case the spheres are in equilibrium so we know that Fnet = 0, which let me arrive at that equation that relates Fe and Fg. The question just says they're released after being in contact, and doesn't say the balls have reached static equilibrium. So how's it possible to use that...

I already did that in a previous step, in part (a) when I determined string length where L = r/(2sinθ). This is an equation that relates the angle and separation distance, and using this, I was able to get to the equation L = √(kq1q2/Fe)/(2sinθ). So I still have unknowns other than the angle...

So in this case, you're saying I would treat it like a circuit and calculate the resistances with the formula R = ρL/A and add them all up as if they were series and parallel accordingly?

Oh I see mistake now. Thanks for pointing that out.

just to clarify, I didn't say it was 10cm + 40cm, I said it was 10 + 40 + 10, with 40 being the combined part in the middle. How can you tell if those 2 resistors should be treated as parallel? don't you calculate the resistance with R = ρL/A formula and combining their resistivity values somehow?

So in that situation, I don't know what Fe (electric force) is when the 2 spheres are separated by that given angle, and I cannot determine that without knowing the separation distance. How can I work around this?

Ok so for part (a) here's what I did: For the left sphere, Fnetx = Ftsinθ - Fe ⇒ Fe=Ftsinθ Fnety = Ftcosθ - Fg ⇒ Ft = Fg/cosθ From these 2 equations, derive that Fe = Fgtanθ Fe= kq1q2/r^2 = Fgtanθ isolate r⇒ r = √(kq1q2/Fe) In the triangle of spheres hanging, θ is the angle that the string on...

But in that equation I was able to determine the separation distance between the 2 spheres when they were separate and in equilibrium. Once they come into contact, have equal charges and are let go, how can I determine what that new separation distance will be? That's the only variable that I am...

Ok so with that info, I can get the electric force on each sphere just after they come into contact. But I'm still lost on how I can go from there to knowing how far the spheres separated to determine that angle. Would the change in energy approach work here?

Homework Statement A 60-cm long gold wire is soldered to a silver wire of the same length as shown in the diagram. If each wire is 2.00 mm in diameter, determine the equivalent resistance of the combination between A and B. Diagram is attached. Homework Equations R = ρL/A The Attempt at a...