Chapter 22, Problem 51P

Assume that a honeybee is a sphere of diameter 1.000 cm with a charge of +45.0 pC uniformly spread over its surface. Assume also that a spherical pollen grain of diameter 40.0 µm is electrically held on the surface of the bee because the bee's charge induces a charge of +1.00 pC on the near side of the grain and a charge of +1.00 pC on the far side. (a) What is the magnitude of the net electrostatic force on the grain due to the bee? Next, assume that the bee brings the grain to a distance of 1.000 mm from the tip of a flower’s stigma and that the lip is a particle of charge –45.0 pC. (b) What is the magnitude of the net electrostatic force on the grain due to the stigma? (c) Does the grain remain on the bee or does it move to the stigma?