Conducting Spheres and Their Charge

In summary, when three identical conducting spheres are lined up in a row and then separated one at a time without grounding them, one of the spheres will have a charge of Q/2 while the other two will have no charge. This is due to the charge spreading out as much as possible when the spheres are together, and then remaining on one of the spheres when it is removed. This process repeats with each sphere being removed.
  • #1
Nathew

Homework Statement


Suppose we have three identical conducting spheres and one of them carries a charge of Q. if they are lined up in a row and then separated one at a time without grounding them...
a. only one will be charged with Q
b. they will all be discharged
c. one of them will have a charge of Q/2
d. they will each have a charge of Q/3
e. none of these

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


my guess was d, but i don't really understand and grasp the question/concept. The answer is C. If someone could guide me in the right direction that would be great.
 
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  • #2
Wait, I believe i got it. So when the 3 balls are together the charge Q spreads out as much as possible making the balls on either end Q/2 and the middle conductor with no charge. When one of the end balls is removed it keeps the charge of Q/2 and the process happens again with the other two balls. Is this right?
 
  • #3
Yes.
 

Related to Conducting Spheres and Their Charge

Q: What are conducting spheres?

Conducting spheres are objects made of a material that allows electric charges to move freely. This means that the electrons in the material can easily move around and redistribute themselves in response to an electric field.

Q: How does charge distribution work in conducting spheres?

When a conducting sphere is connected to a voltage source, the charges in the sphere will redistribute themselves so that the electric potential is the same at every point on the surface. This is known as electrostatic equilibrium. If the sphere is not connected to a voltage source, any charges on the surface will evenly distribute themselves due to repulsion between like charges.

Q: How is the charge of a conducting sphere related to its size?

The charge on a conducting sphere is directly proportional to its radius. This means that the larger the sphere, the more charge it can hold. This relationship is known as Coulomb's law and states that the electric field created by a point charge is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the charge.

Q: Can two conducting spheres have the same charge?

Yes, two conducting spheres can have the same charge if they are connected to the same voltage source. In this case, the charges will distribute themselves evenly on both spheres, resulting in equal charges on each sphere. However, if the spheres are not connected, they will not have the same charge as any excess charge will distribute itself evenly on each sphere.

Q: What are some real-world applications of conducting spheres and their charge?

Conducting spheres are commonly used in electrostatic experiments to demonstrate concepts such as charge distribution and electrostatic equilibrium. They are also used in devices such as Van de Graaff generators and capacitor plates. In addition, the principles of conducting spheres are important in understanding the behavior of lightning and other natural phenomena related to electric charge.

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