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Two particles each have a mass of 7.2 x 10-3 kg. One has a charge of +5.3 x 10-6

ID: 2276520 • Letter: T

Question

Two particles each have a mass of 7.2 x 10-3 kg. One has a charge of +5.3 x 10-6 C, and the other has a charge of -5.3 x 10-6 C. They are initially held at rest at a distance of 0.76 m apart. Both are then released and accelerate toward each other. How fast is each particle moving when the separation between them is one-third its initial value?

Two particles each have a mass of 7.2 times 10-3 kg. One has a charge of +5.3 times 10-6 C, and the other has a charge of -5.3 times 10-6 C. They are initially held at rest at a distance of 0.76 m apart. Both are then released and accelerate toward each other. How fast is each particle moving when the separation between them is one-third its initial value?

Explanation / Answer

use the conservation of energy

when the two particles are held at a distance r apart, they have only potential energy, and the potential energy between two charges is:

PE=kq1 q1/r

when they are a distance r/3 apart, they have both PE and KE; the conservation of momentum tells us:

total energy before=total energy after

kq1 q1/r = kq1q2/(r/3) + 2(1/2 mv^2)

and we have 2(1/2mv^2) since there are two particles of mass m moving with speed v

the equation above gives us

-2k q1q2/r = mv^2

for k=9x10^9
q1 x q2=-28.09x10^(-12)
m=0.0072
r=0.76m
we have

2*(9x10^9)(28.09x10^(-12)/0.76=0.0072v^2
v=9.71m/s

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