Final answer:
When identical metal spheres with different charges touch, they equally share the total charge. Upon separation, each will have an average of the initial total charge. Calculating resultant charges involve summing initial charges and dividing by two.
Step-by-step explanation:
When two identical metal spheres with different charges come into contact, they share their charges equally because they are of the same size and shape. After they are separated, each sphere ends up with the average of the total charge that was present initially. If sphere A has a charge of −5 nC (nanoCoulombs) and sphere B has a charge of −3 nC, the total charge is −5 nC + −3 nC = −8 nC. They will equally share this charge, resulting in each sphere having a charge of -4 nC after separation.
In another example, if sphere 1 has a charge of -9.6 × 10⁻¹⁸ C and sphere 2 has 60 excess protons (each proton has a charge of +1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C), the total charge before they touch is the sum of charges from electrons and protons. After contact and separation, the charges will be equalized between them. Calculating the resultant charge requires adding the initial charges of both spheres, and then dividing by two, since there are two spheres.
Applying these concepts to various scenarios, one can determine the final charges on spheres after they touch and are separated, as well as correlating these charges to the number of excess electrons or protons.