Answer:
the charge per unit area on the plastic sheet is - 3.23 x 10⁻⁷ C/m²
Explanation:
given information:
styrofoam mass, m = 16 g = 0.016 kg
net charge, q = - 8.6 μC
to calculate the charge per unit area on the plastic sheet, we can use the following equation:
[tex]F_{e} = mg[/tex]
where
[tex]F_{e} =[/tex] the force between the electric field
m = mass
g = gravitational force
[tex]F_{e} =qE[/tex]
where
q = charge
E = electric field
and
E = σ/2ε₀
where
ε₀ = permitivity
thus
[tex]F_{e} =qE[/tex]
mg = qσ/2ε₀
σ = (2mg ε₀)/q
= 2 (0.016) (9.8) (8.85 x 10⁻¹²)/( - 8.6 x 10⁻⁶)
= - 3.23 x 10⁻⁷ C/m²
