Understanding the Concepts
* Coulomb's Law: This law describes the electrostatic force between charged objects. It states that the force is:
* Directly proportional to the product of the charges.
* Inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
* Electrostatic Force: The force of attraction or repulsion between charged objects. Like charges repel, and unlike charges attract.
Setting up the Calculation
1. Identify the variables:
* `q1` = Charge of balloon 1 = -1.6 x C
* `q2` = Charge of balloon 2 = -1.6 x C (assuming both balloons have the same charge)
* `r` = Distance between the balloons = cm (we need to convert this to meters)
2. Coulomb's Law Equation:
* `F = k * (q1 * q2) / r²`
* `F` = Force (in Newtons)
* `k` = Coulomb's constant = 8.98755 × 10⁹ N⋅m²/C²
3. Convert units:
* `r = cm` needs to be converted to `meters (m)`. 1 cm = 0.01 m, so divide the given distance in cm by 100.
Putting it Together
1. Convert the distance:
* Let's assume the balloons are 10 cm apart. This converts to `r = 0.1 m`.
2. Plug the values into Coulomb's Law:
* `F = (8.98755 × 10⁹ N⋅m²/C²) * ((-1.6 x C) * (-1.6 x C)) / (0.1 m)²`
3. Calculate the force:
* You'll get the force in Newtons (N). Remember that a negative sign indicates a repulsive force (since the balloons have the same charge).
Important Note:
* The given charge value (-1.6 x C) is a very large charge. Balloons typically have much smaller charges, on the order of micro Coulombs (µC).
* Make sure to use consistent units throughout your calculation.
Let me know if you have the actual distance between the balloons, and I can give you a more specific answer.
