A disk with radius R and uniform positive charge density s lies horizontally on a tabletop. A small plastic sphere with mass M and positive charge Q hovers motionless above the center of the disk, suspended by the Coulomb repulsion due to the charged disk. Required:
a. What is the magnitude of the net upward force on the sphere as a function of the height z above the disk?
b. At what height h does the sphere hover?

a. F = Qs/2ε₀[1 - z/√(z² + R²)] b.  h =  (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)R/√[1 - (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²]

Explanation:

a. What is the magnitude of the net upward force on the sphere as a function of the height z above the disk?

The electric field due to a charged disk with surface charge density s and radius R at a distance z above the center of the disk is given by

E = s/2ε₀[1 - z/√(z² + R²)]

So, the net force on the small plastic sphere of mass M and charge Q is

F = QE

F = Qs/2ε₀[1 - z/√(z² + R²)]

b. At what height h does the sphere hover?

The sphere hovers at height z = h when the electric force equals the weight of the sphere.

So, F = mg

Qs/2ε₀[1 - z/√(z² + R²)] = mg

when z = h, we have

Qs/2ε₀[1 - h/√(h² + R²)] = mg

[1 - h/√(h² + R²)] = 2mgε₀/Qs

h/√(h² + R²) = 1 - 2mgε₀/Qs

squaring both sides, we have

[h/√(h² + R²)]² = (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²

h²/(h² + R²) = (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²

cross-multiplying, we have

h² = (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²(h² + R²)

expanding the bracket, we have

h² = (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²h² + (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²R²

collecting like terms, we have

h² - (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²h² = (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²R²

Factorizing, we have

[1 - (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²]h² = (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²R²

So, h² =  (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²R²/[1 - (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²]

taking square-root of both sides, we have

√h² =  √[(1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²R²/[1 - (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²]]

h =  (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)R/√[1 - (1 - 2mgε₀/Qs)²]

1. Since the solid carbon dioxide never become liquid on melting under normal pressure. Thus through the process of sublimation, the solid carbon dioxide changes to gas

2. The molecules in dry ice, are in caged like structure just as the normal water ice but as it melts, the CO2 molecules having high affinity for gaseous state converts into a gas.

3. Dry ice is heavier than its gaseous form. Density of dry ice = 97.6 lb/cu.ft.

Density of carbon dioxide gas = 0.1144 lb/cu.ft.

With higher density and a fixed volume, mass of dry ice is higher than the CO2 gas