IPhO 1969 · Theory problem 3

Charged ball hanging on the axis of a charged ring

A small charged ball of mass \(m\) and charge \(q\) is suspended from the highest point of a ring of radius \(R\) by means of an insulating cord of negligible mass. The ring is made of a rigid wire of negligible cross section and lies in a vertical plane. On the ring there is uniformly distributed charge \(Q\) of the same sign as \(q\). Determine the length \(l\) of the cord so as the equilibrium position of the ball lies on the symmetry axis perpendicular to the plane of the ring.

Find first the general solution a then for particular values \(Q=q=9.0\cdot10^{-8}\ \mathrm{C}\), \(R=5\ \mathrm{cm}\), \(m=1.0\ \mathrm{g}\), \(\varepsilon_0=8.9\cdot10^{-12}\ \mathrm{F/m}\).

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 3. For equilibrium on the axis away from the ring’s centre, \[ \boxed{l=\left(\frac{QqR}{4\pi\varepsilon_0mg}\right)^{1/3}}, \] provided \[ \frac{Qq}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}>mgR^2. \] The two possible positions are at axial distances \(x=\pm\sqrt{l^2-R^2}\). For the given data, \[ \boxed{l\approx7.2\ \mathrm{cm}}. \] There is also the special central equilibrium \(l=R\), which always satisfies static force balance. For these data, it has \(l=5\ \mathrm{cm}\) and is unstable.

Solution

3. Treat the small ball as a point charge, take gravity as uniform, and use the prescribed uniform charge distribution on the ring. The massless cord exerts tension along its length.

Let \(O\) be the ring’s centre, \(A\) its highest point, and \(P\) the ball’s position on the perpendicular axis. First consider \(OP=x>0\). Since \(OA=R\) is perpendicular to \(OP\), \[ l^2=R^2+x^2. \]

By symmetry, the components of the electric field parallel to the ring’s plane cancel. Every charge element \(\mathrm dQ\) is a distance \(\sqrt{R^2+x^2}=l\) from the ball. Coulomb’s law therefore gives the resultant electric force along the axis: \[ F_{\mathrm e} =\int\frac{q\,\mathrm dQ}{4\pi\varepsilon_0l^2}\frac{x}{l} =\frac{Qq\,x}{4\pi\varepsilon_0l^3}. \] Because \(Qq>0\), this force points away from the ring.

The tension \(T\) points from \(P\) towards \(A\). Its upward component is \(TR/l\), and its component towards the ring’s plane is \(Tx/l\). Vertical and horizontal equilibrium require \[ \frac{TR}{l}=mg, \qquad \frac{Tx}{l}=\frac{Qq\,x}{4\pi\varepsilon_0l^3}. \] The first equation gives \(T/l=mg/R\). Substituting into the second and cancelling \(x\ne0\), \[ \frac{mg}{R}=\frac{Qq}{4\pi\varepsilon_0l^3}, \] hence \[ \boxed{l=\left(\frac{QqR}{4\pi\varepsilon_0mg}\right)^{1/3}}. \]

A nonzero axial displacement requires \(l>R\), so this solution exists only if \[ \boxed{\frac{Qq}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}>mgR^2}. \] When this holds, reflection symmetry gives two equilibrium positions, one on each side of the ring: \[ x=\pm\sqrt{\left(\frac{QqR}{4\pi\varepsilon_0mg}\right)^{2/3}-R^2}. \]

For the numerical calculation, use \(g=9.8\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-2}}\), \(R=0.050\ \mathrm m\), and \(m=1.0\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{kg}\). Then \[ \frac{Qq}{4\pi\varepsilon_0mgR^2}\approx2.96>1, \] so the required noncentral equilibrium exists. Its cord length is \[ l= \left[ \frac{(9.0\times10^{-8})^2(0.050)} {4\pi(8.9\times10^{-12})(1.0\times10^{-3})(9.8)} \right]^{1/3} =0.07176\ \mathrm m. \] Thus \[ \boxed{l\approx7.2\ \mathrm{cm}}. \] The corresponding distance from the ring’s centre is approximately \(5.1\ \mathrm{cm}\).

Finally, the cancellation of \(x\) excludes a separate case. At \(x=0\), the electric field vanishes by symmetry, and \(l=R\), \(T=mg\) give a central equilibrium for any charge magnitude. To check this case for the supplied data, displace the ball slightly perpendicular to the ring. To first order, the electric force is \(Qq\,x/(4\pi\varepsilon_0R^3)\), while the restoring horizontal tension is \(mgx/R\). Therefore, \[ F_x\simeq \left(\frac{Qq}{4\pi\varepsilon_0R^3}-\frac{mg}{R}\right)x. \] The coefficient is positive for the given data, so this displacement grows: the central equilibrium is unstable.

The solution was checked against the official solution.