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18 votes
18 votes
Determine the separation distance between two balloons with charges of +3.6*10^-8 C and -3.2*10^-8 C. They generate an electrical force of -2.2*10^-2 between them.

User Niczak
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1 Answer

19 votes
19 votes

Answer:

0.0217 m

Step-by-step explanation:

Ftom the question,

Applying Coulomb's law

F = kqq'/r²............... Equation 1

Where F = Electric Force, q and q' = First and second charge respectively, r = distance between the charges, k = coulomb's constant.

make r the subeject of the equation

r = √[(kqq')/F]............. Equation 2

Given: q = +3.6×10⁻⁸ C, q' = -3.2×10⁻⁸ C, F = -2.2×10⁻² N

Constant: k = 8.98×10⁹ Nm²/C²

Substitute these values into equation

r = √(+3.6×10⁻⁸×-3.2×10⁻⁸×8.98×10⁹/-2.2×10⁻²)

r = √(-103.4489×10⁻⁷/-2.2×10⁻²)

r = √(47.02×10⁻⁵)

r = 21.68×10⁻³

r ≈ 21.7×10⁻³ m.

r ≈ 0.0217 m

Hence the seperation between the two balloons is 0.0217 m

User Davydotcom
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