SPH4U-3

TORSION BALANCE - COULOMBS EXPERIMENT

ASG#1

BACKGROUND The torsion balance was an important tool in early studies of both gravitational force and the electrostatic force. As you know, Henry Cavendish was able to determine the universal gravitational constant, G, using a torsion balance. Charles Coulomb, unaware of Cavendishs balance, developed a very similar balance, which he used to develop the law now known as Coulombs law. TASK Two identical pith balls, mass 1.26 g, have a charge of +4.00 nC. One ball (A) is attached to the end of a light rod made of insulating material; the other (B) is suspended from a fixed point by an insulated thread 80.0 cm long. When ball A is held at various horizontal distances from B, the angle between the thread and the vertical is measured. Determine whether the results support Coulombs law. Be sure to show all your work and thinking! Horizontal distance between A & B d (cm) 0.50 1.00 1.50 1.80 2.10 2.50 Angular displacement of thread

2
25.0 6.65 2.97 2.06 1.51 1.07

HINT: To help answer the question follow the steps below: Draw a FBD of pith ball B. {Note: There are 5 forces in total - 1 of which gets resolved into 2 of the other forces.} Use the FBD to calculate Fg, FT, and then FQ for 2 = 25.0. Now use Coulombs Law to calculate FQ for d = 0.50 cm (ie 2 = 25.0 ). Watch your units! Calculate the % difference between the values you got for steps and . {2 sig digs are sufficient.} Repeat the process for the remainder of the 2 and d values. You may find a table like the one below useful to record your values (be sure to include a sample set of calculations though and dont forget to answer the question). FBD COULOMBS LAW % Difference Fg FT FQ d (m) 0.0050 FQ

2
25.0