Consider three identical metal spheres, A, B, and C. Sphere A carries a charge o
ID: 2281302 • Letter: C
Question
Consider three identical metal spheres, A, B, and C. Sphere A carries a charge of -10q. Sphere B carries a charge of +9q. Sphere C carries no net charge. Spheres A and B are touched together and then separated. Sphere C is then touched to sphere A and separated from it. Last, sphere C is touched to sphere B and separated from it. For the following questions, express your answers in terms of q.
(a) How much charge ends up on sphere C?
(b) What is the total charge on the three spheres before they are allowed to touch each other?
(c) What is the total charge on the three spheres after they have touched?
Explanation / Answer
the charges will equalize so they balance
total charge of the 3 spheres together is -q
when A touches B the net charge between them is 3 so -0.5q stays on A and B at -0.5 q
when you touch A to C ... A has -0.5 q and C has 0 so total is -0.5 q that means A will have -0.25q and C will gain -0.25q.....
C= -0.25q and B= -0.5q touch and then total charge is -.75q so C = B = -.375q
a) C/q = -0.375
b) not sure what you mean by total charge is same its -q
A = -0.25q ... B = C = -.375q
so adding them adds to -1q
the total charge has to be the same