Tuesday, November 18, 2025

What apparatus is used to measure the electrostatic force between two objects

 A torsion balance is the apparatus used to measure the electrostatic force between two objects. This device, famously used by Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, uses a suspended rod with a charged ball and measures the force by the twist of a fiber, which is proportional to the torque created by the electrostatic repulsion or attraction.

  • Torsion Balance: This is a sensitive instrument consisting of a rod suspended from its center by a thin fiber.
  • How it works: A charged object is placed near a second charged ball on the rod. The resulting electrostatic force causes the rod to twist the fiber through a specific angle. By measuring this angle and knowing the properties of the fiber, the force can be calculated. [1, 4, 5]

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What apparatus is used to measure the electrostatic force between two objects

  A torsion balance is the apparatus used to measure the electrostatic force between two objects. This device, famously used by Charles-Aug...