Coulomb law

Submitted by: I.D. 066101528

The problem:

Two small spheres of identical masses and charges are hung on two strings of a length L. Show that
for small angles the horizontal distance between the masses is:
 2 1/3
q L
x= (1)
2πε0 mg

The solution:

We write two force equations one for the vertical axis (where θ is the angle of the string relatively
to the vertical):

T cos θ = mg (2)

and another one for the horizontal axis (x is the distance between the masses):
kq 2
T sin θ = (3)
x2
Divide the equations and use the following formulas:
Kq 2
tan θ = (4)
mgx2
1
k = (5)
4πε0
x/2
sin θ = ' tan θ (6)
L
where in the last equation we used the the small angles. Then
x q2
= (7)
2L 4πε0 mgx2
 2 1/3
q L
x = (8)
2πε0 mg

1
 Coulomb law
Submitted by: I.D. 303689129

The problem:

Two identical rods (length L) are placed on the x̂ axis. The distance between the rods is L. The
rods are charged uniformly, and the total charge on each rod is Q. Find the force on the right rod.

The solution:

The charge density on each rod is

We can sum the Columb forces between the charges on the left rod and the right rod.
X X X (~rj − ~ri )
F~ = k ∆qi ∆qj (3)
(~rj − ~ri )3
i j

The index i iterates the charges (positioned at ~ri ) on the left rod. The index j iterates the charges
(positioned at ~rj )on the right rod. The quantity ~rj −~ri gives the distance and the direction between
2 summed charges.
Integrating:
ZL Z3L
1
Fx = k λdl1 λdl2 (4)
(l2 − l1 )2
0 2L
ZL Z3L
dl2
= kλ2 dl1 (5)
(l2 − l1 )2
0 2L
ZL  3L
2 1
= kλ dl1 (6)
l1 − l2 2L
0
ZL  
2 1 1
= kλ − dl1 (7)
l1 − 3L l1 − 2L
0
h i
= kλ2 ln |l1 − 3L|L L
0 − ln |l1 − 2L|0 (8)
4
= kλ2 ln (9)
3
Q2 4
= k 2 ln (10)
L 3

1
 Electric field
Submitted by: I.D. 039609631
The problem:

Two identical particles, with the charge +q, are held in place at a distance d from each other. A
particle charged −Q with the mass m is placed between the two, in the middle. The particle (+Q)
is slightly diverted upwardas, perpendicularly to the straight line connecting the two particles (+q),
and let go. Show that harmonic oscillations occur, maintaining:
ε0 mπ 3 d3
T2 = (1)
Qq

The solution:

We define the axis on which the possitive charges lay as x. y axis is perpendicular to x, positive
direction set upwards. Negative charge Q is set on axis origin. ~r1 and ~r2 are position vectors for
positively charged particles.
Coulomb Law :
kqqi (~r − ~ri )
ΣF~ = (2)
k~r − ~ri k3
For our problem we get :
kq(−Q)(−~r1 ) kq(−Q)(−~r2 )
ΣF~ = + (3)
k~r1 k3 k~r2 k3
Where :
 
d
~r1 = x̂ − (∆y) ŷ (4)
2
 
d
~r2 = − x̂ − (∆y) ŷ (5)
2
Therefore :
kQq[ d2 x̂ − (∆y)ŷ] kQq[ − d2 x̂ − (∆y)ŷ]



~ −2kQq∆y
ΣF = 2 3
+ 2 3
=
2 3
ŷ (6)
[ d2 + ∆y 2 ] 2 [ d2 + ∆y 2 ] 2 [ d2 + ∆y 2 ] 2

1
simplifying, and substituting k with ε0 (k ≡ 4πε0 ) we get :
−4Qq∆y
ΣF~ =  2 3 ŷ (7)
3 2∆y
πε0 d [1 + d ]2
Extracting taylor series to first order, using the relation:
1 3
3 = 1 − x + O(x2 ) (8)
(1 + x) 2 2
We get :
−4Qq∆y −4Qq∆y
ΣF~ = ŷ or mÿ = (9)
πε0 d3 πε0 d3
4Qq 4π 2
⇒ ω2 = where T2 = (10)
mπε0 d3 ω2
Finally
ε0 mπ 3 d3
T2 = (11)
Qq