KC PUBLIC SCHOOL

BERHAMPUR

PHYSICS
An investigatory project on topic :
To estimate the charge induced on each of the
two identical styrofoam (or pith) balls
suspended in a vertical plane by making use
of Coulomb’s Law
for partial fulfillment of
aissice chemistry practical examination
2024-2025.
Submitted by : M. Advika Sudeshna
Class : 12th 'A'
Rollno:
Guided by : : Dr. Manoj Kumar Muni &
Mr. Pitabas Panda
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Ms. Advika Sudeshna, a

bonafide student of Class XII has
successfully completed the project on “To
estimate the charge induced on each of the
two identical styrofoam (or pith) balls
suspended in a vertical plane by making use
of Coulomb’s Law .” under guidance of Dr.
Manoj Kumar Muni & Mr. Pitabas Panda as
per guidelines issued by Central Board of
Secondary Education (CBSE).

INCHARGE TEACHER EXTERNAL EXAMINER

PRINCIPAL
Acknowledgement
I hereby express my gratitude to my
Principal Mr. A. K Mishra Sir and Dr.
Manoj Kumar Muni Sir & Mr. Pitabas
Panda Sir for their guidance throughout
my studies.

I also thank my parents who supported

me in all my endeavors.

I also thank my classmates who have

equally worked hard to make my
project a success.

M. Advika Sudeshna
 INDEX
1 INTRODUCTION

2 AIM of the experiment

3 APPARATUS REQUIRED

4 THEORY

5 PROCEDURE

6 OBSERVATION

7 CONCLUSION

8 BIBLIOGRAPHY
 INTRODUCTION
In 1785 Augustine de Coulomb investigated the
attractive and repulsive forces between charged
objects, experimentally formulating. This is now
called as Coulomb's Law: "The magnitude of the
electrie force that a particle exerts on another is
directly proportional to the product of their charges
and inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between them." Mathematically, it is
expressed as ,

where r is the separtion distance between the objects

and k is a constant of proportionality,called the
coulomb constant:k=9 x 10^9 Nm^2/C^2.This formula
gives us the magnitude of the force as well as
direction by noting a positive force as attractive and a
negative force a repulsive.Noting that like charges
repel each other and opposite charges attracting
each other,Coulomb measured the force between the
objects,small metal coated balls,by using a torsion
balance similar used to measure gravitational force.
 AIM OF THE
EXPERIMENT
To estimate the charge
induced on each of the
two identical styrofoam
(or pith) balls
suspended in a vertical
plane by making use of
Coulomb’s Law
Apparatus
R equired

Small size identical styrofoam balls

Physical balance or electronic balance

Meter Scale

Teflon Thread

Stand

Glass Rod (or Plastic Rod)

 THEORY
The fundamental concept in electrostatics is electrical
charge .We are all familiar with the fact that rubbing two
materials together for example, a rubber comb on cat fur
produces a static charge. This process is called charging by
friction. Suprisingly, the exact physics of the process of
charging by friction is poorly understood .However, it is
known that the making and breaking of contact between
the two materials transfers the charge.

The charged particles which make up the universe come in

three kinds: positive, negative and neutral. Neutral
particles do not interact with electrical forces. Charged
particles exert electrical and magnetic forces on one
another ,but if the charges are stationary, the mutual force
is very simple in form and is given by coulomb’s law:

where F=electrical force between any two stationary

charged particles with charges q1 and q2(measured in
coulombs), r is the separation between the charges
(measured in meters),and k is a constant of nature( equal
to 9 x 10^9 Nm^2/C^2 in SI units).
The study of the coulomb forces among among
arrangements of stationary charged particles is called
electrostatics.
Coulomb’s Law describes three properties of the electrical
force:
1.The force is inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between the charges, and is directed along the
straight line that connects their centers.
2.The force is proportional to the product of the
magnitude of the charges.
3.Two particles of the same charge exert a repulsive force
on each other,and two particles of opposite charge exert
an attractive force on each other.
Most of the common objects we deal with in the
macroscopic(human-sized) world are electrically neutral.
They are composed of atoms that consist of negatively
charged electrons moving in quantum motion around a
positively charged nucleus. The total negative charge of
the electrons is normally exactly equal to the total positive
charge of the nuclei, so the atoms(and therefore the entire
object)have no net electrical charge. When we charge a
material by friction, we are transferring some of the
electrons from one material to another.

Materials such as metals are conductors.Each metal atom

contributes one or two electrons that can move relatively
freely through the material.Aconductor will carry an
electrical current.Other materials such as glass are
insulators.Their electrons are bound tightly and cannot
move.Charge sticks on an insulator,but does not move
freely through it.

The polarization of charge in the insulator is small, but now

it’s positive charge is a bit closer to the negative rod, and its
negative charge is a bit farther away. Thus, the positive
charge is attracted to the rod more strongly than the
negative charged is repelled, and there is an overall net
attraction.
IIf the negative rod is brought near an isolated ,neutral
conductor , the conductor will also be polarized .In the
conductor , electrons are free to move through the
material ,and some of them are repelled over to the
opposite surface of the conductor , leaving the surface
near the negative rod with a net positive charge .The
conductor has been polarized, and will now be attracted to
the charged rod.
 Let the force between two
stationary charges be

The weight of the ball

W=mgsinθ

From the diaθgram in the

right In triangle ACB
sinθ=x/2l

Let the charge on each ball be

q1=q2=q

Then at equillibrium
mgsinθ=kQxQ/x^2
=mgx/2l=kq^2/x^2
⇒g=mgx^3/2lk
 PROCEDURE
1.Weight the mass of each identical pith balls by
balance and note down it.

2.Tie the balls with two silk or cotton threads

and suspend at a point on a stand or a rigid
support. Measure the length of threads by half
meter scale. The length of threads should be equal.
Note down the length.

3.Rub the glass rod with silk cloth and touch with
both balls together so that the balls acquired equal
charge.

4.Suspend the balls freely and the balls stay away a

certain distance between the balls when they
become stationary. Note down the distance.

5.Touch any one suspended ball with other

uncharged third ball and takes the third ball away
and repeat the step 4.

6.Touch other suspended ball with other

uncharged fourth ball and takes the fourth ball
away and repeat the step 4.
 OBSERVATION
Mass of each ball, (m)=0.1gm
Radius of the ball, (a)=10mm
Length of thread, (l)=150cm

Sl. Distance between

Charge on ball B1 Charge on ball B2
No. the two balls(in cm)

1. 0C 0C 0cm

2. 5.3x10^-10C 5.3x10^-10C 2cm

3. 5.3x10^-10C 5.3x10^-10C 1.5cm

4. 2.6x10^-10C 5.3x10^-10C 1.1cm

 Conclusion
Results:
By using the relation,
q=(mgx^3/2lk)^1/2
Calculate the charge in each case

The charge on each ball =5.3x10^-10C

PRECAUTIONS:
1. The suspended balls should not be touched
by any conducting body.
2. Rub the glass rod properly with silk cloth to
produce more charge.

SOURCE OF ERROR:
1. The balls may not be of equal size and
mass.
2. The distance between the balls should be
measured accurately
 Biblio graphy
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Thank You!