Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-b-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2010/paper-2b/section-b/b9/solution

The image charge for a grounded conducting sphere is at radius . With symmetric real charges, their exact force-balance equation has a solution close to . Holding potential adds force to the grounded result, approximately at that separation.
Full derivation: solution.

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