Spheres q1 brought closer to q2 until the two spheres touch each other. Q1 placed back in its original position. Calculate the charge on both spheres after they have touched each other
To calculate the charge on both spheres after they have touched each other, we need to consider the principle of charge conservation. According to this principle, the total charge before and after a process remains constant.
Let's assume that the spheres are denoted as Q1 and Q2, with charges q1 and q2, respectively. Initially, Q1 is brought closer to Q2 until they touch each other. Since the spheres are conductive, when they come into contact, charge redistributes between them in a way that the total charge remains the same.
To find the final charges, we can follow these steps:
1. Determine the initial charges of the spheres, i.e., the values of q1 and q2 before they touch each other. This information might be provided in the problem statement, or you could assume specific values for q1 and q2.
2. Add the initial charges of both spheres to get the total initial charge, Qinitial = q1 + q2.
3. When the spheres touch each other, charge redistributes. In this process, charge flows between them until they reach a common potential. The total charge remains constant, so the sum of their final charges will also be equal to Qinitial.
4. The final charge on each sphere can be calculated by dividing the total initial charge, Qinitial, equally between them. Thus, the final charge on each sphere is (Qinitial/2).
So, to calculate the charge on both spheres after they have touched each other, divide the initial total charge by 2 and assign the obtained value to both spheres.