Question

The cockroach Periplaneta americana can detect a static electric field of magnitude 8.50 kN/C using their long antennae. If the excess static charge on a cockroach is modeled as point charges located at the end of each antenna, what magnitude of charge q would each antenna possess in order for each antennae to experience a force of magnitude 2.00 μN from the external electric field? Calculate q in units of nanocoulombs (nC) .

Answer 1

0.235 nC

Step-by-step explanation:

Given:

• 
  `E` = the magnitude of electric field =
  `8.50\ kN/C =8.50* 10^(3)\ N/C`

• 
  `F` = the magnitude of electric force on each antenna =
  `2.00\ \mu N =2.00* 10^(-6)\ N`

• 
  `q` = The magnitude of charge on each antenna

Since the electric field is the electric force applied on a charged body of unit charge.

`\therefore E = (F)/(q)\\\Rightarrow q =(F)/(E)\\\Rightarrow q =(2.00* 10^(-6)\ N)/(8.50* 10^(3)\ N/C)\\\Rightarrow q =0.235* 10^(-9)\ C\\\Rightarrow q =0.235\ nC`

Hence, the value of q is 0.235 nC.