Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Two small identical balls, each of mass g, hang from the same point on silk threads m long. Each ball has the same charge. They settle m apart. Find the electric force between the balls, and the charge on each ball. Use .
In a medium the force is divided by the dielectric constant . The force on each charge has the same size, in opposite directions: like charges repel and unlike charges attract.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Given. kg, m, m.
Plan. The tension balances the weight and the electric force. Use the angle of the thread to find the electric force, then Coulomb's law to find the charge.
Step 1. The angle. , so and .
Step 2. The balance. Vertically, . Horizontally, . Divide: . So .
Step 3. The charge. . We want , so .
Answer: N, and nC on each ball.
Check. The force is about of the weight N, the same as . It fits.
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