If two identical conducting spheres are in contact, any excess charge will be evenly distributed between the two. Three identical metal spheres are labeled A, B, and C. Initially, A has charge q, B has charge −q/2, and C is uncharged. a. What is the final charge on each sphere if C is touched to B, removed, and then touched to A? b. Starting again from the initial conditions, what is the charge on each sphere if C is touched to A, removed, and then touched to B?

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Bertha Jordan · Accepted Answer

Intially, the charges of the spheres are  qA0=q, qB0=−12q, qC0=0  a. As is said in the problem, when spheres are brought in contact, any excess charge in them will be wqually split among them. Therefore, after C is touched to B we have  qB1=qC1=12qB0+qC0=−14q  Then when C is touched to A we have that  qA2=qC2=12qA0+qC1=38q  So the final charges of the sphesres A, B, and C are 38q,−14q, and 38q

Philip Williams · Accepted Answer

b. We start again from the initial conditions. When C is touched to A the new charges are  qA1=qC1=12qA0+qC0=12q  Then, if C is touched to B we have that  qB2=qC2=12qB1+qC1=0  Therefore, the final charges of the spherse are 12q,0 and 0.

If two identical conducting spheres are in contact, any exce

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