Coulomb's Law: Does Charge Depend on Size?

In summary, the charges on two identical pith balls that come in contact to make q1=q2 would not necessarily be equal if the pith balls were of different sizes. While the force between the two balls is determined by the equation F=k(q1)(q2)/r^2, charge is charge and can take on any value regardless of the radii of the pith balls. Therefore, the charge density may be different for each ball, resulting in unequal charges.
  • #1
daewoo
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Homework Statement



Suppose you let identical pith balls come in contact to make q1=q2 would the charges be equal if the pith balls were of different size?

Homework Equations



F=k(q1)(q2)/r^2

The Attempt at a Solution



I would think they wouldn't be, because doesn't the charge require the radii?
 
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  • #2
Force requires the distance, which the radius plays into, like your equation shows.

Charge is charge, though. It just means the charge density is bigger or smaller.
 
  • #3
Charge is pretty much locked in place on a pith ball (but not on a conductor).
Very little charge would be transferred between two pith balls in contact.
q1 and q2 could take on any value, independent of the radii.
 

1. How is Coulomb's Law related to electrical charge?

Coulomb's Law is a fundamental law of electrostatics that describes the force between two charged particles. It 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.

2. Does the size of an object affect its charge?

Yes, the size of an object can affect its charge. The charge of an object is determined by the number of electrons it has. The more electrons an object has, the greater its charge will be. Therefore, a larger object with more electrons will have a greater charge than a smaller object with fewer electrons.

3. Can objects with the same charge attract each other?

No, objects with the same charge repel each other according to Coulomb's Law. This is because like charges repel and opposite charges attract. So, if two objects have the same charge, they will repel each other.

4. How does distance affect the strength of the force between two charged objects?

The force between two charged objects decreases as the distance between them increases. This is because the inverse square law states that the force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the two objects. As the distance increases, the force decreases.

5. Is Coulomb's Law only applicable to point charges?

No, Coulomb's Law can be applied to any charged object, not just point charges. However, for larger objects, the calculation of the force between them becomes more complex as the charge is distributed over the entire object. In these cases, Coulomb's Law can be used to calculate the force between two point charges on the objects, and then the results can be applied to the entire object.

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