ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This project has been presented after a series of

references, investigations and motivations of my
teachers, friends and well-wishers.
This project stands firm over the rigid
support and guidance of my respected
teachers from the Dept. of Physics. I
would have never been able to
complete this project successfully if I
was not guided by Mr.Om Prakash
Mishra, Mr.Pankaj Singh and Mrs.
Shramana Hazra.
Hope it will live to the expectations of my
teachers.

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Sri Arnab Chakrabarti

having
Board Roll no: _________ , a student of class
XII(Sc) of Sudhir Memorial Institute has
successfully
completed
the
project
entitled:
ESTIMATION OF CHARGE IN A STYRO FOAM
BALL SUSPENDED IN A VERTICAL PLANE WITH
THE HELP OF COULOMBS LAW.

Date:
_______________.

Internal Examiner

External Examiner

DECLARATION

I,Sri Arnab Chakrabarti, bearing Roll no:______

hereby declare that the project entitled :
ESTIMATION OF CHARGE IN A STYRO FOAM
BALL SUSPENDED IN A VERTICAL PLANE WITH
THE HELP OF COULOMBS LAW.

has been submitted by me to the Dept. of .

Physics,
Sudhir Memorial Institute for the
fulfillment of AISSCE 2014-2015 Physics
Practical Examination, CBSE New Delhi.

________________________.
(Signature of Candidate)

INTORDUCTION:
The electrical interaction between two charged particles is described in terms
of the forces
exerted between them. In 1783, Augustin Coulomb conducted the first
quantitative
measurements of these forces. He used a very sensitive torsion balance to
measure the forces
between two point charges, that is charged bodies whose dimensions are
small compared to the
distance between them. Coulomb found that the electrical force between two
point charges is:
Directly proportional to the product of the charges, inversely proportional to
the square of the
distance between them and always acts along a line joining the two charges.
Mathematically we
can express the magnitude of this force as,

F=

K q1q2
r2

where k is the coulomb constant and has a value of 9x109N m 2/C2

, q1 and q2 are the charges on
point charges 1 and 2 respectively and r is the distance between the two
charges.
In order to understand Coulombs Law we need to note a few additional
properties of electrical
charge.
1. There are two types of charge; we call them positive and negative. Like
charges repeal,
unlike charges attract.
2. Charge is quantized, that is we can not isolate any smaller amount of
charge than the
charge of a proton (positive) or electron (equal in magnitude to the charge on
a proton,
but negative).
3. Charge is conserved. We can physically move it around, but we can not
create nor
destroy it.
4. All matter is made of charged particles. Typically the positive and negative
charges are
present in equal numbers. When we say something is charged we mean it
possesses a
slight imbalance in the number of positive and negative charges.

INDEX:
SL.NO

TOPIC

1.

INTRODUCTION

2.

OBJECTIVE AND REQUIREMENTS

3.

THEORY

4.

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF SETUP

5.

PROCEDURE

6.

OBSERVATIONS

7.
8.

CALCULATION ,RESULT,
PRECAUTIONS
SOURCES OF ERROR,BIBLOGRAPHY

OBJECTIVE:
To estimate the charge induced on
each of the two identical styro foam
(or pitch) balls suspended in
a vertical plane by making use of
coulombs law.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:
Small size identical balls (pitch or
soft plastic)
physical balance or electronic
balance
halfmeter scale
cotton thread
stand
glass rod (plastic rod) & silk cloth
(wool cloth).

THEORY:
Let two point stationary charges q1 and q2 are
separated by a distance r in vacuum, the magnitude
of the force (F) between them is given by:
F=

K q1q2
r2

The weight of the ball is:

W =mg

The restoring force on each ball =

From OBC,
sin =

mg sin

x
2l

Let the charge on each ball be q1 =q2=q

then , at equilibrium
mg sin=

mg

kqq
xx

x kqq
=
2l
xx

q=[

mgx x3
]
2 lk

1/2

Where k=9 x 109 N m2 c-2 for air

g=9.8xm/s2

by substituting the value of mass (m) separation

between ball (x)and length of the thread used to
suspend a ball.

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF
SUSPENSION OF STYRO FOAM
BALL IN A VERTICAL PLANE:

PROCEDURE:
1.Weight the massof each identical
pitch
ball 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 the
threads should be equal. Note
down the length .

3.Rub the glass rod with silk clth

and touch with both balls together

so that the balls acquire equal

charge.

4. Suspend the balls freely and the

balls stay away a certain distance
apart .Measure the 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 previous step.
6.Touch other suspended ball with
other uncharged fourth ball and
takes the fourth ball away and
repeat step 4.

OBSERVATION:
1. Mass of each ball, m=

gm

2. Radius of each ball, r=

mm

3.length of each thread, l=

S.
NO
1.

CHARGE ON
BALL
A
0

CHARGE ON
BALL
B
0

2.

3.

cm

DISTANCE BETWEEN THE

BALLS
(X CM)

4.

q/2

q/2

CALCULATION:
By using the relation , the charge is
calculated in each case:
3

q=[

mg x
] 1/2
2 lk

RESULT:
The charge on each ball=

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

3.Weigth the mass of the balls

accurately.

SOURCES OF ERROR:
1.The balls may not be of equal
size and mass.
2. The distance between the balls
may be measured accurately.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Internet sources:
1. http://www.google.com
2. http://www.wikipedia.org
3. http://www.meritnation.com

Books:
1. Comprehensive Practical Physics.
2. Physics (NCERT).

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