Question

In part (c), how hard does the track push on the shell at point a, the top of the circle?

Answer 1

At the top of the circle, the track pushes on the shell with a force equal to the electrical force due to the spheres.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this question, we are asked to determine how hard the track pushes on the shell at point A, the top of the circle. At the top of the circle, the shell experiences both the gravitational force and the electrical force due to the charge on the spheres. Since the track is frictionless, there is no normal force acting on the shell. Therefore, the track pushes on the shell with a force equal to the electrical force due to the spheres.