Week 1:

Charge, Coulomb’s Law

Physics 204B
Paul Arpin

Note that during the quiz you will be graded on your work, explanation and justification.
The “right” answer will not earn much credit if the work is not justified. Be sure that you
understand how to set the problems up. Typically I look for things like:
• Clear, detailed figures, with labeled and defined quantities. Force/field vectors drawn
and labeled. A list of known values and clear identification of what you are trying to
find.
• That you begin with fundamental equations and add pertinent information to solve the
problems.
For the quantitative problems I recommend following as much of the Dynamics Worksheets
as is appropriate to the problem.
1. A negatively charged electroscope has separated leaves.
(a) Suppose you bring a negatively charged rod close to the top of the electroscope,
but not touching. How will the leaves respond? Use charge diagrams and words to
explain.
(b) How will the leaves respond if you bring a positively charged rod close to the top of
the electroscope, but not touching? Use both charge diagrams and words to explain.
2. You have two identical neutral metal spheres on wood stands.
(a) Devise a procedure for charging the spheres so that they will have like charges of
exactly equal magnitude.
(b) Devise a procedure for charging the spheres so that they will have opposite charges
of exactly equal magnitude.
3. 22.14: Two small plastic spheres each have a mass of 2.0 g and a charge of −50.0 nC.
They are placed 2.0 cm apart (center-to-center).
(a) What is the magnitude of the electric force on each sphere?
(b) By what factor is the electric force on a sphere larger than its weight?
4. 22.17: What is the net electric force on charge A?
5. 22.44: (video solution provided) What is the force F⃗ on the −1.0 nC charge in the
middle of the figure due to the four other charges? Give your answer in component form.

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