Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT ON:-

TO ESTIMATE THE CHARGE INDUCED ON EACH OF

THE TWO IDENTICAL STRYO FOAM (OR PITH)
BALLS SUSPENDED IN A VERTICAL PLANE BY
MAKING USE OF COULOMBS LAW.

By:-

Manjunath Naik
Class: 12th
Section A
Roll no.

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

INDEX
TOPICS Page no.
1. CERTIFICATE 4

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 5

3. OBJECTIVE 6

4. INTRODUCTION 7

5. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT 8

6. THEORY 9

7. PROCEDURE 13

8. OBSERVATION 14

9. CONCLUSION AND RESULT 15

10. PRECAUTIONS 16

11. SOURCES OF ERROR 16

12. BIBLIOGRAPHY 17

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

CERTIFICATE
Ryan International School

This is hereby to certify that the Project titled TO

ESTIMATE THE CHARGE INDUCED ON EACH OF THE
TWO IDENTICAL STRYO FOAM (OR PITH)
BALLS SUSPENDED IN A VERTICAL PLANE BY MAKING USE
OF COULOMBS LAW was successfully completed by
Manjunath Naik, student of class XII Ryan Sanpada under
the guidance of Mr Amit Kumar during the academic year
2017-2018.

Externals Signature: Internals Signature:

Principals Signature: School Stamp

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I wish to express my deep gratitude and sincere
thanks to the Principle, Mrs Murial Fernandez,
Ryan International School, Sanpada for her
encouragement and for all the facilities she has
provided for this project work.
I extend my hearty thanks to my subject teacher
Mr Amit Kumar and Lab Assistant Devesh Sir who
guided me to the successful completion of this
project. I take this opportunity to express my
deep sense of gratitude for their invaluable
guidance, constant encouragement and immense
motivation which has sustained my efforts at all
stages of this project work. I cant forget to offer
my sincere thanks to my classmates who helped
me to carry out this project work successfully and
for their valuable advice and support which I
received for them time to time.

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

Objective
To estimate the charge induced on each one of the two
identical styro foam balls (or pith balls) suspended in a
vertical plane by making use of Coulombs law:-
1 2
| | = k e 2

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

INTRODUCTION
When it is only of interest to know the magnitude of the
electrostatic force (and not its direction), it may be easiest
to consider a scalar version of the law. The scalar form of
the Coulombs Law relates the magnitude and sign of the
electrostatic force F acting simultaneously on two point
charges q1 and q2 as follows:
1 2
| | = k e
2
where r is the separation distance and ke is Coulombs
constant. If the product q1q2 is positive, the force between
the two charges is repulsive; if the product is negative, the
force between them is attractive.

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

Material and Equipment

Small size identical balls (pitch or soft
plastic)
Physical balance or electrical balance
Half meter scale
Cotton thread
Small stand
Glass rod
Silk cloth

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

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.
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 Coulombs Law:
1 2
= ke
2

where F is the 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 9x109 Nm2/C2 in SI units).

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

The study of the Coulomb forces among arrangements of

stationary charged particles is called electrostatics.
Coulombs Law describes three properties of the electrical
force:
1)The force is inversely proportional
t o t h e s q u a r e o f t h e distance between the
charges, and is directed along the straight line that
connects their centres.
2)The force is proportional to the
p r o d u c t o f t h e m a g n i t u d e o f the charges.
3)Two particles of
the same charge
exert a repulsive
f o r c e o n 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

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

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. A conductor 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.

A neutral particle is not affected by electrical forces.

Nevertheless, a charged object will attract a neutral
macroscopic object by the process of electrical polarisation.
For example, if a negatively
charged rod is brought close to an
isolated, neutral insulator, the
electrons in the atoms of the
insulator will be pushed slightly
away from the negative rod, and
the positive nuclei will be
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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

attracted slightly toward the negative rod. We say that the

rod has induced polarisation in the insulator, but its net
charge is still zero.

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

its 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 charge is repelled, and there is an overall net
attraction. If the negative rod is brought near an isolated,
neutral conductor, the conductor will also be polarised. 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 polarised, and will now be attracted to the
charged rod. Now if we connect a conducting wire or any
other conducting material from the polarised conductor to
the ground, we provide a path through which the
electrons can move. Electrons will actually move along this
path to the ground. If the wire or path is subsequently
disconnected, the conductor as a whole is left with a net
positive charge. The conductor has been charged without
actually being touched with the charged rod, and its charge
is opposite that of the rod. This procedure is called charging
by induction.

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

PROCEDURE
1. Measure the mass (m) of each of the two identical
pith balls using a physical balance. 2. Hang the two
balls from a rigid support using light silk or cotton
threads of same length l.
3. Rub the glass tod silk cloth to induce charge on it.
Now touch the glass rod with both the pith balls
together so that equal charge is induced on both the
balls.
4. When left freely, the two balls will repel each other.
Measure the distance between the balls when are at
rest. Note down the distance.
5. To change the charge on ball, take third uncharged
ball touch it to any one of the two balls and take the
third ball away, and repeat step 4.
6. Take other uncharged suspended with other
uncharged 4th ball and take the 4th ball away and
repeat step 4.

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

OBSERVATIONS

Mass of the pith balls m = 200 gm.

Radius of the ball a = 0.2 cm.

Length of thread l = 100 cm.

Sl.no. Charge on Charge on Distance

Ball B1 Ball B2 between the
two balls (in
cm)
1 0.00C 0.00C 0.4cm
2 2.00C 2.00C 33.0cm
3 2.00C 1.00C 26.2cm
4 1.00C 1.00C 20.8cm

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

Calculation and Result

Let the force between two stationary charges be F.
1 2
= ke 2

The weight of the ball w = mg

The restoring force on each ball = mg sin

From the diagram in the right in

triangle ABC

Sin =
2
Let the charge on each ball be q1, q2
and q3 then at equilibrium
kqq
mg sin =
2

3
Charge on the pith ball =
2

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

Precautions
1.) The suspended balls should not be touched by
any conducting body.
2.) Rub the glass rod properly with silk rod to
produce more charge.
3.) Weight the mass of the balls accurately.

SOURCES OF ERROR
The balls may not be of equal size and mass.
The distance between the balls may be
measured inaccurately.

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Physics Investigatory Project Manjunath Naik

BIBLIOGRAPHY

iCBSE.com
Wikipedia
Chemmicalland.com
Books.google.co.in
Physics NCERT class 12 book

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