When two identical metal spheres with different charges come into contact, they share their charge equally. The total charge is divided equally between the spheres, and then this charge can be converted to the number of electrons or protons.
When two identical metal spheres with different charges are brought into contact and then separated, they'll redistribute their charge equally because they are identical in size and shape. This sharing is due to the nature of conductors, where the charge moves freely to reach an equilibrium state.
Regarding the provided scenarios, the process of determining the final charge on each sphere after contact involves:
- Finding the total charge of both spheres combined.
- Dividing this total charge by two, since the charges will be shared equally.
- Converting this final charge into the number of electrons or protons by dividing by the charge of a single electron or proton (approximately 1.6 × 10−18 C).
Example Scenario:
Sphere 1 with a charge of -9.6 × 10−18 C and Sphere 2 with 30 excess electrons. After touching and separating, the total charge is calculated by adding -9.6 × 10−18 C to the charge of 30 electrons (-30 × 1.6 × 10−19 C), resulting in a net charge which is then divided equally between the two spheres. The resulting charge on each sphere is then converted back to the number of electrons.