Insulating Spheres in Electric Fields

In summary, the problem involves two insulating spheres with radii, masses, and charges, released from rest and colliding at a distance d. The solution involves conservation of energy and linear momentum, and after solving for potential energy, v1 and v2 can be calculated. However, treating the spheres as point charges may not be justified.
  • #1
faceoclock
5
0
Hi, I'd like to ask the good people of this forum for some help.
Here's a problem I've been working on for a while, and I'm seriously at my wit's end. I guess there's something I'm missing here...


Homework Statement


Two insulating spheres have radii r1 and r2, masses m1 and m2, and uniformly distributed charges -q1 and q2. They are released from rest when their centers are separated by a distance d. How fast is each moving when they collide? Suggestion: Consider conservation of energy and of linear momentum.

Homework Equations


I thought these were relevant:
Momentum=mv
Kinetic energy = 1/2(mv^2)
[tex]\Delta[/tex]U = -q[tex]\int[/tex]E dr

The Attempt at a Solution


First I solved for the potential energy that this system gains when the two spheres are moved apart:
[tex]\Delta[/tex]U = q1[tex]\int^{d}_{d-r1-r2}[/tex]E dr = k(q1)(q2)([tex]\frac{1}{d-r1-r2}[/tex] - 1/d)

I figured this is the amount of energy the spheres would have when they collide, so...
[tex]\Delta[/tex]U = [tex]\frac{1}{2}[/tex](m1)v[tex]^{2}_{1}[/tex] + [tex]\frac{1}{2}[/tex](m2)v[tex]^{2}_{2}[/tex]

From conservation of momentum, v2 = (m1/m2)v1 so subbing that into the above equation I got:
[tex]\Delta[/tex]U = [tex]\frac{1}{2}[/tex]m1v[tex]^{2}_{1}[/tex] + [tex]\frac{1}{2}[/tex][tex]\frac{m^{2}_{1}}{m_{2}}[/tex]v[tex]^{2}_{1}[/tex]

So then I solved for v1 to get:

v1 = [tex]\sqrt{\frac{2kq_{1}q_{2}((1/(d-r1-r2)-(1/d))}{m_{1}+\frac{m^{2}_{1}}{m_{2}}}}[/tex]

And v2 can be figured out the same way. However, I know for a fact this isn't the right answer.


In closing
I'm don't really know what I did wrong, but I suspect it's because I treated the two spheres as point charges, and I'm not sure if I'm justified in doing that.
 
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  • #2
They move from a distance d to a distance r1+r2.
What is d-r1-r2?
Look at your potential energy again. You don't need any integral. Just take the difference between the final energy and initial energy. I would treat them as point charges.
 
  • #3
Yup lol, that would do it. Thanks a lot for your help Nasu! :biggrin:
 

FAQ: Insulating Spheres in Electric Fields

What are insulating spheres and how do they behave in electric fields?

Insulating spheres are objects made of materials that do not conduct electricity. When placed in an electric field, these spheres experience a force that causes them to move. The direction and magnitude of this force depends on the strength and direction of the electric field.

How do insulating spheres differ from conducting spheres in electric fields?

Conducting spheres are made of materials that allow electricity to flow through them. This means that they can redistribute their charge in response to an electric field, while insulating spheres cannot. Additionally, conducting spheres can experience a torque in addition to a force in an electric field, while insulating spheres only experience a force.

What factors affect the motion of insulating spheres in electric fields?

The motion of insulating spheres in electric fields is affected by the strength and direction of the electric field, the size and shape of the sphere, and the properties of the material it is made of. The presence of other nearby objects or surfaces can also influence its motion.

How can insulating spheres be used in practical applications?

Insulating spheres can be used in various practical applications such as in particle accelerators, where they are used to manipulate and guide charged particles. They can also be used in electrostatic precipitators to remove particles from gas streams, and in electrostatic paint sprayers to evenly distribute charged paint particles.

What are the limitations of using insulating spheres in electric fields?

One limitation of using insulating spheres in electric fields is that they can only experience a force and not a torque, which limits their ability to rotate or change direction in response to an electric field. Additionally, their motion can be affected by factors such as air resistance and friction, which may make their behavior difficult to predict and control.

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