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Cash or Charge?
Challenge: Three small identical coins of mass m each are
For small displacements, use the binomial
connected by two light nonconducting strings of length d approximations (1 + z)a 1 + az to get:
each. Each coin carries an unknown charge q. The coins are
placed on a horizontal frictionless nonconducting surface as 1 q2
shown (the angle between the strings is very close to 180). U AC =
After the coins are released, they are observed to vibrate
40 2d 1 ( y d )2
with period T. Find the charge q on each of the coins.
1 q 2 y2
1 + 2 .
40 2d 2d
where UAB is the contribution due to the rela- This can be treated as a one-dimensional sys-
tive position of coins A and B, etc. Since the tem with an effective mass of meff 3m/2 and
distances between coins A and B and coins B a spring constant:
and C do not change, UAB = UBC = constant.
The remaining term is 1 9q 2
k .
40 8d 3
1 q2 1 q2
U AC = = .
40 x 40 2 d 2 y 2 The period is