Calculating Charge of Insulating Balls

  • Thread starter Thread starter tandoorichicken
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Balls Charge
AI Thread Summary
To calculate the charge on two equally charged insulating balls weighing 0.1 g each, which are separated by 8.0 cm and suspended by 30 cm strings, one must consider the forces acting on the balls. The tension in the strings can be resolved into horizontal and vertical components, where the horizontal component relates to the electrostatic force of repulsion and the vertical component balances the weight of the balls. The geometry of the setup forms a triangle, allowing the use of trigonometric functions to find the angle the strings make with the horizontal. The symmetry of the problem simplifies calculations, as both balls experience identical forces. Ultimately, the charge on each ball can be determined using Coulomb's law and the derived angles.
tandoorichicken
Messages
245
Reaction score
0
Two equally charged insulating balls each weigh 0.1 g and hang from a common point by identical threads 30 cm long. The balls repel each other so that the separation between their centers is 8.0 cm. What is the magnitude of the charge on each ball?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Find the angle that the string makes with the horizontal. Then you know that cos(theta)*Ft (tension in string) will equal the force exerted on balls by each other. You also know that sin(theta)*Ft will equal the weight of the ball.
 
There are two strings attached to the same point. At the end of each string is a charged ball. The balls repel each other. This forms a triangle with two legs 30 cm and the horizontal leg 8 cm long. I am a little confused about your explanation, because it makes it seem like there is only one string.
 
Note the symmetry of the problem.
 
Thread 'Collision of a bullet on a rod-string system: query'
In this question, I have a question. I am NOT trying to solve it, but it is just a conceptual question. Consider the point on the rod, which connects the string and the rod. My question: just before and after the collision, is ANGULAR momentum CONSERVED about this point? Lets call the point which connects the string and rod as P. Why am I asking this? : it is clear from the scenario that the point of concern, which connects the string and the rod, moves in a circular path due to the string...
Back
Top