Question

Two conducting spheres are separated by 1.5 cm. One sphere is charged such that its total charge is 32 nC. The other sphere is electrically neutral (has no net charge).

A) Is there an apparent charge distribution on the neutral sphere due to the charged sphere? Qualitatively answer this using diagrams and terminology such as charge by induction, charge by conduction, dipole, octopole, etc.

B) Imagine the spheres were allowed to touch for a brief moment and then separated back to 1.5 cm apart. What happens to the spheres? Include a diagram when necessary.

C) What is the charge on each sphere after they have been allowed to touch and then separated again? What is the magnitude of the electric force experienced by each sphere when they are 1.5 cm apart?

Answer 1

given distance between two conducting spheres, d = 1.5 cm = 0.015 m

charge on one spheere, q1 = 32 nC

charge on other sphere, q2 = 0 nC

A. Yes, due to the sphere 1 there is apparent charge redistribution on the neutral sphere , but hte total charge on the neutral sphere still remains 0

B. if the spheres were briefly brought to touch each other

the charge q1 divides itself equally in two spheres

and when the spheres are brought again to tihe original distance

both spheres are positively charges so they repel each other

also, the surfaces of the spheres close to each other have opposite charge but total charge on both the sphere remains +16 nC each

C> charge on each sphere q = 16 nC

force = kq^2/d^2

F = k(16*10^-9)^2/0.015^2 = 0.01021724444444 N