Final answer:
The electrostatic force between two equally-charged spheres can be calculated using Coulomb's Law. By plugging in the values given in the question and solving, the absolute value of the charge on each sphere is ±2.4 nC.
Step-by-step explanation:
The electrostatic force between two small spheres can be calculated using Coulomb's Law. The formula for Coulomb's Law is F = k * (q1 * q2) / r^2, where F is the force, k is the electrostatic constant (9 x 10^9 Nm^2/C^2), q1 and q2 are the charges on the spheres, and r is the distance between them.
In this case, we are given that the electrostatic force is 1.84 μN (micronewtons) and the spheres are 55.5 cm apart. We need to find the charge on each sphere.
- Convert the distance between the spheres from cm to meters: 55.5 cm = 0.555 m.
- Substitute the given values into the formula: 1.84 μN = (9 x 10^9 Nm^2/C^2) * (q1 * q2) / (0.555 m)^2.
- Solve for the charge on each sphere: (q1 * q2) = (1.84 μN * (0.555 m)^2) / (9 x 10^9 Nm^2/C^2).
- Take the square root of the product of the charges to find the absolute value of the charge on each sphere.
The result is ±2.4 nC (nanocoulombs), indicating that each sphere has a charge of ±2.4 nC.