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]