Question

What is the tension on string connecting two charged spheres?

Answer 1

To determine the tension in a string connecting two charged spheres, we need to consider the electrostatic forces acting on the spheres. The electrostatic force between two charged objects is given by Coulomb's law:

$F=\frac{k\cdot q_1\cdot q_2}{r^2}$

Where:

• $F$ is the electrostatic force between the spheres,
• $k$ is Coulomb's constant ($k\approx 8.99\times 10^9\text{N}\cdot {\text{m}}^2/{\text{C}}^2$),
• $q_1$ and $q_2$ are the charges of the spheres,
• $r$ is the distance between the centers of the spheres.

If the spheres are connected by a string and are at equilibrium (not accelerating), the tension in the string will be equal to the magnitude of the electrostatic force. This is because the tension in the string provides the necessary force to balance the electrostatic force.

Therefore, the tension in the string ($T$) is given by:

T=k⋅q1⋅q2r2T = dfrac{k cdot q_1 cdot q_2}{r^2}T<span class="mspace" style="margin-right: 0.2778em