Electric Potaential of two spheres

[crybllrd]

Homework Statement

Electric charge can accumulate on an airplane in flight. You may have observed needle-shaped metal extensions on the wing tips and tail of an airplane. Their purpose is to allow charge to leak off before much of it accumulates. The electric field around the needle is much larger than the field around the body of the airplane and, can become large enough to produce dielectric breakdown of the air, discharging the airplane. To model this process, assume that two charged spherical conductors are connected by a long conducting wire and a charge of 9.00 µC is placed on the combination. One sphere, representing the body of the airplane, has a radius of 6.00 cm, and the other, representing the tip of the needle, has a radius of 2.00 cm.
(a) What is the electric potential (V) of each sphere?
r = 6.00 cm
r = 2.00cm

(b) What is the electric field (V/m, direction) at the surface of each sphere?
r = 6.00 cm
r = 2.00cm

Homework Equations

r1 = 6e-2
r2 = 2e-2

The Attempt at a Solution

q1/q2=r1/r2
q1=3q2

q1+q2=9e-6

3q2+q2=9e-6
4q2=9e-6
q2=2.25e-6

q1+2.25e-6=9e-6
q1=6.75e-6

v1=kq1/r1

v1=101

When I submit it, it tells me that "Your response differs significantly from the correct answer. Rework your solution from the beginning and check each step carefully."

Any help?

 

[ehild]

The potential is not a number, it has some unit. In what units is the potential 101? Check the magnitude of the data and give the potential in volts. ehild

 

[crybllrd]

Thanks for the quick reply.

v1=kq1/r1

v1=8.99e9 Nm²/C²*1.95e-5C/6e-2m

v1=101 Nm/C

Nm/C is a V

 

[ehild]

Thanks for the quick reply.

v1=kq1/r1

v1=8.99e9 Nm²/C²*1.95e-5C/6e-2m

v1=101 Nm/C

Nm/C is a V

q1=6.75 e-6C, is not it?

Check the magnitudes: You multiply 10⁹ with 10^-6; it is 10³, and divide by 10^-2: you get 10⁵.

ehild

 

[crybllrd]

101e5 tells me that I am off by a multiple of ten.

I am still confused though- in my calculator I put in
(K*6.75*10e-6)/6e-2
(I have K stored as the k_e constant)
and get 101. It sounds like you're telling me that my calculator cannot handle scientific notation, and I need to tag on the " e5 " to my calculation of 101. Why is it not giving me the right answer? Or am I misunderstanding this?

 

[crybllrd]

Never mind, I figured it out.
Thanks a lot!