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Electricity: Static Electricity

Static Electricity: Audio Guided Solution

Problem Set SE7, Question 3:

Mr. H rubs a long plastic tube with wool and imparts a charge of -45.6 nC to the tube. Ariel then blows a soap bubble into the air. Mr. H holds the plastic tube above the bubble, causing it to morph into an oblong shape and suspend motionless just below the tube. As the 22.8-mg bubble polarizes, the center of positive charge of the bubble is positioned 11.4 cm from the charge on the plastic tube; the center of negative charge is positioned 16.9 cm from the charge on the plastic tube. Ignoring buoyant forces, determine the effective positive and negative charge on the polarized bubble. (GIVEN: 1 C = 109 nC)



 

Audio Guided Solution

Habits of an Effective Problem Solver

An effective problem solver by habit approaches a physics problem in a manner that reflects a collection of disciplined habits. An effective problem-solver...

  • ... reads the problem carefully and develops a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketches a simple diagram of the physical situation to help visualize it.
  • ... identifies the known and unknown quantities; records them in an organized manner. A diagram is a great place to record such information. Equates given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity - e.g., Q1 = 2.4 μC; Q2 = 3.8 μC; d = 1.8 m; Felect = ???.
  • ... uses physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy to solve for the unknown quantity.
  • ... identifies the appropriate formula(s) to use.
  • ... performs substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.


 

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