Can Two Repelling Spheres Be Solved?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the electrostatic forces between two spheres with differing charges, specifically addressing the implications of Newton's third law in this context.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between the forces exerted by two charges and question the implications of varying charge magnitudes on the forces experienced. There is a discussion about whether the forces must remain equal and how this relates to the physical setup of the problem.

Discussion Status

The conversation includes attempts to clarify misunderstandings about the forces involved and their relationship to mass and angles in the setup. Some participants express uncertainty about the correctness of their answers, while others provide hints to guide further exploration.

Contextual Notes

There are indications of confusion regarding the assumptions made about the charges and the resulting forces, as well as the implications of mass on the angles involved in the scenario.

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Electrostatic forces obey Newton's third law. Based on this, fill in the blank:

Suppose Q = 2q. If Q exerts an electrical force of 2.0 N on q, then q exerts an electrical force of ______ N on Q.
 
2q because the forces must be equal. Doesn't this agree with my answers?

Or does it mean that the charges can be anything as long as the force remains constant, in which case the answers would be:

True
False
True
True
True
 
One of your answers is still wrong. Hint: If the electrical forces are equal, then how can X hang at the smaller angle?
 
It must have a greater mass, so the mass one is false.

Thank you so much!
 
duhduhduh said:
Solved.

It is against the PF rules to deleted your posts after you have received help. Check your PMs.
 

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