A electric charge question for two spheres

In summary, a metallic sphere A of radius 1.00 cm with a charge of 450 nC is placed several centimetres away from a metallic spherical shell B of radius 2.00 cm with no charge. When the two objects are joined by a long, thin, metallic wire and then the wire is removed, the charge is shared between A and B in a ratio of 1/4 of the surface area for sphere A to sphere B. This results in 150 nC on A and 300 nC on B. This is determined by equating the potentials of the two objects when connected, leading to the correct answer of D.
  • #1
bennyq
23
0

Homework Statement



A metallic sphere A of radius 1.00 cm is several centimetres away from a metallic spherical shell B of radius 2.00 cm. Charge 450 nC is placed on A, with no charge on B or anywhere nearby. Next, the two objects are joined by a long, thin, metallic wire, and finally the wire is removed. How is the charge shared between A and B?
a. 225 nC on A and 225 nC on B.
b. 90.0 nC on A and 360 nC on B, with equal surface charge densities.
c. 0 on A, 450 nC on B.
d. 150 nC on A and 300 nC on B.
e. 450 nC on A and 0 on B.

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


The answer given is D..
My attempt was to determine the charge density when the two spheres are connected. Since they are both conudctors I took the fact that all the charge would be on the surface of both spheres. So dividing the charge Q by the total surface area of both spheres, gives a ratio of 1/4 of surface are for sphere A to sphere B. So 90/360, missing something here. thanks
 
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  • #2
I think i worked this one out, when they are connected by the wire the potentials are equal so V1=V2, simplifys to
[itex]\frac{Q1}{Q2}[/itex]=[itex]\frac{r1}{r2}[/itex]=[itex]\frac{σ2}{σ1}[/itex]
Leading to the correct answer..
 

Related to A electric charge question for two spheres

1. What is the concept of electric charge?

The concept of electric charge refers to the fundamental property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electric field. An object can have a positive, negative, or neutral charge, which is determined by the number of protons and electrons it contains.

2. How is electric charge measured?

Electric charge is measured in units called coulombs (C). One coulomb is equal to the amount of charge that passes through a point in an electric circuit in one second when the current is one ampere (A).

3. What is the difference between conductors and insulators in terms of electric charge?

Conductors are materials that allow electric charges to flow freely through them, while insulators are materials that do not allow charges to flow easily. This is due to the difference in the number of free electrons in each material.

4. How does the electric charge of two spheres interact with each other?

The electric charge of two spheres can interact with each other through the electric force, which is determined by the amount of charge on each sphere and the distance between them. Opposite charges attract each other, while like charges repel.

5. How can electric charge be transferred between two spheres?

Electric charge can be transferred between two spheres through a process called charging by contact. This occurs when two objects come into contact with each other, allowing electrons to move from one object to the other, equalizing their charges.

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