The bob of a simple pendulum has mass 2g and a charge of 5.0µC. It is at rest in a uniform horizontal electric field of intensity 2000 V/m. At equilibrium, the angle that the pendulum makes with the vertical is : (take g=10 m/s²)
tan⁻¹(5.0)
tan⁻¹(2.0)
tan⁻¹(0.2)
tan⁻¹(0.5)
Solution:
Correct option is C. tan⁻¹(0.5) tan θ = qE/mg = 5 × 10⁻⁶ × 2000 / 2 × 10⁻³ × 10 tan θ = 1/2 ⇒ θ = tan⁻¹(0.5).