LUCKNOW PUBLIC SCHOOL

MADHOGANJ, HARDOI
(Affiliated to CBSE, New Delhi)

-------------------- Session: 2024-25 ------------------

-
Physics Investigatory
Project on the topic:
“To estimate the charge induced on each
one of the two identical Styrofoam (or pith)
balls suspended in a vertical plane by
making use of Coulomb's law.”

Submitted By: Submitted To:

Aryan Tiwari, XII A ( ) Mr. Akash (Sub. Teacher)
 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Aryan Tiwari, student of Class
12th, Lucknow Public School, Madhoganj, has
successfully completed the physics project titled:
“Estimation of Charge on Styrofoam Balls Using
Coulomb's Law”
under the guidance and supervision of Mr. Akash,
as part of the academic curriculum for the year
2024-25.
The project is an original and independent piece of
work carried out by the student with sincerity,
dedication, and enthusiasm. It complies with the
prescribed standards and guidelines set forth for
such academic endeavours.
*****

Signature of Teacher

Signature of Principal

Signature of Examiner
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to
everyone who guided and supported me throughout
the course of this project.
First and foremost, I would like to thank my physics
teacher, Mr. Akash, for their invaluable guidance,
encouragement, and insights that helped shape this
project. Their explanations of the concepts and
continuous support were instrumental in
successfully completing this work.
I am also grateful to my school, LPS Madhoganj, for
providing the necessary resources and a conducive
environment to carry out this project.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to my parents and
friends for their constant encouragement and moral
support, which motivated me to work with
enthusiasm and dedication.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the importance
of practical experiments in enhancing
understanding and appreciation of physics, and I
am grateful for the opportunity to explore these
concepts through this project.

-Aryan Tiwari
(XII A)
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Introduction
II. Aim
III. Materials Required
IV. Setup Diagram
V. Theory
VI. Procedure
VII. Observations
VIII. Calculations
IX. Result
X. Precautions
XI. Sources of Error
 Aim
To estimate the charge
induced on two identical
Styrofoam (or pith) balls
suspended in a vertical
plane by measuring their
separation and analyzing
the forces using Coulomb's
law.
 Introduction

Charles-Augustin de Coulomb (14 June 1736 – 23

August 1806) was a French officer, engineer, and
physicist. He is best known as the eponymous
discoverer of what is now called Coulomb's law, the
description of the electrostatic force of attraction
and repulsion. He also did important work on
friction.

The SI unit of electric charge, the coulomb (C), was

named in his honor in 1880.
 Theory
1. Coulomb's Law
• Coulomb's Law states that the force F
between two point charges q1 and q2
separated by a distance r in a vacuum is given
by:
1 𝑞1 𝑞2
F= . 2
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟
Where,
• 𝜀0 = 8.85 × 10−12 𝐶 2 𝑁 −1 𝑚−2
(permittivity of free space)

2. Static Equilibrium
The system of the charged balls is in static
equilibrium under the influence of the following
forces:
• Electrostatic repulsive force between the
balls FE .
• Gravitational force mg.
• Tension T in the thread.
3. Assumptions
• The balls are spherical, identical, and act as
point charges.
• The system is in equilibrium, and air
resistance is negligible.

4. Charge Calculation
From the geometry of the setup, the equilibrium
conditions can be used to derive:

𝑞 = √4𝜋𝜀0 𝐹𝑟 2

The force F can be calculated using trigonometry

from the weight of the ball and the angle of
separation.
 Materials Required
1. Two identical Styrofoam (or pith) balls.
2. Lightweight insulating thread.
3. Protractor (to measure angles).
4. Digital balance (to measure mass of balls).
5. Meter scale (to measure distance).
6. Insulating stand.
7. Charged object (e.g., a rod or a cloth for
inducing charge).
8. Calculator.
 Setup Diagram

m
 Procedure
1. Setup
• Suspend two identical Styrofoam balls of
known mass (m) using insulating threads of
equal length (l) from a common point.
• Ensure the balls hang freely without external
disturbances.
2. Charging
• Charge both balls identically by rubbing with
a charged object (like a glass rod).
• Observe that the balls repel each other due to
identical charges.
3. Measure the Separation
• Measure the equilibrium distance (2x) between
the centers of the balls using a meter scale.
• Note the length of the thread (l) and calculate
the angle of separation (θ) using trigonometry:

𝒙
𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽 =
𝒍
4. Analyze Forces
• Identify forces acting on each ball:
o Gravitational force:
𝑭𝒈 = 𝒎𝒈
o Electrostatic force:
𝑭𝑬 = 𝑻 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽
o Tension in the thread:
𝑭𝒈
𝑻=
𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽

5. Calculate the Charge

• Use Coulomb's law to estimate the charge on
each ball:

𝒒 = √𝟒𝝅𝜺𝟎 ∙ 𝑭𝑬 ∙ 𝒓𝟐

Where r = 2x and FE = T sin θ

Calculations
 Observations

Following are the readings/observations obtained

after performing the experiment.

Mass Length Separation Angle Calculated

of ball of Charge
Thread
(m) (l) (2x) (θ) (q)

in g in cm in cm in º in C
 Result

The estimated charge

induced on each
Styrofoam ball is:

q= _____C
 Precautions

• Ensure the threads are non-conducting and identical in length.

• Avoid external disturbances during measurement.
• Ensure balls are identically charged.
• Use precise instruments for measurements.

Sources of Error
• The Styrofoam balls may not acquire equal charges due to uneven
rubbing or inconsistent contact with the charging material
• The balls may not be of equal size and mass or may be deformed.
• The distance between the ball may have been measured
inaccurately.
• Movement of the balls can be affected by air currents in the room,
leading to instability in measurements
• The insulating threads may conduct a small amount of charge,
altering the effective charge on the balls.
• Determining the angle of deflection or the geometry of the setup
may involve errors due to imprecise instruments.
 Bibliography
• Books
➢NCERT Physics Part I for Class XII
➢Concepts of Physics 2 (HC Verma)
➢Resnick, Halliday, Walker (Fundamentals
of Physics)
➢S.L. Arora (New Simplified Physics Part I
for Class XII)
➢The Usborne Illustrated Dictionary of
Science
• Websites
➢www.wikipedia.com
➢www.chatgpt.com
➢www.researchgate.net
➢www.ncert.nic.in