Question about electrostatic forces

[breedb]

Two identical conducting spheres, fixed in place, attract each other with an electrostatic force of 0.0864 N when their center-to-center separation is 70.6 cm. The spheres are then connected by a thin conducting wire. When the wire is removed, the spheres repel each other with an electrostatic force of 0.0422 N.



Of the initial charges on the spheres, with a positive net charge, what was (a) the negative charge in coulombs on one of them and (b) the positive charge in coulombs on the other?



Attempt at solution

All I could figure out so far has been:

kq1(before)q2(before)/r^2=-0.0864
kq1(after)q2(after)/r^2=0.0422
q1(before)+q2(before)=q1(after)+q2(after)

What doesn't make sense to me is I thought after a wire is but between two objects, the charges become the same.

 

[breedb]

Nevermind. I was getting confused. I don't no how to delete a post, but don't respond to this.