21.72: a) Free body diagram as in 21.71.

Each charge still feels equal and opposite

electric forces.
kq1q2
b)  T = mg cos20° = 0.0834N so Fe = T sin 20° = 0.0285N = . (Note:
r 21
r1 = 2(0.500 m)sin20 ° = 0.342 m.)
c) From part (b), q1 q 2 = 3.71 × 10 −13 C 2 .
d) The charges on the spheres are made equal by connecting them with a wire, but
2
q1 + q 2
we still have Fe = mg tanθ = 0.0453N =
1 Q
4 πε0 r 22 where Q= 2
. But the separation
q1 + q 2
r2 is known: r2 = 2(0.500 m) sin 30 ° = 0.500 m. Hence: Q= 2
= 4πε0 Fe r 2 2
=1.12 ×10 −6 C. This equation, along with that from part (b), gives us two equations
in q1 and q 2 . q1 + q 2 = 2.24 × 10 −6 C and q1 q 2 = 3.70 × 10 −13 C 2 . By elimination,
substitution and after solving the resulting quadratic equation, we find:
q1 = 2.06 ×10 −6 C and q 2 = 1.80 × 10 −7 C .