Chapter 20, Problem 53A

To determine

To explain: A way to place a charge on sphere B that was exactly one-third the charge on sphere A.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

Coulomb’s charging method involves the charging of an uncharged conductive materials without touching it with any other charged body. In this method, a charged body is held nearer to a grounded uncharged conductive material. There will be a flow of charge between the two bodies and charge with opposite polarity will develop on an uncharged conductive material.

Initially the two spheres A and B are charged equally. Thereafter, the sphere B is kept in touch with other two balls of the same size that are touching one another. Then the charge on the sphere B will be shared equally between the three spheres and leave one third of the total charge in sphere B. This is one third the charge on sphere A.