Question

A Van de Graaff generator is a device for generating a large electric potential by building up charge on a hollow metal sphere. A typical classroom-demonstration model has a diameter of 30 cm. How much charge is needed on the sphere for its potential to be 530,000 V?

Answer 1

since we know that electric potential V is equal to kq/r, we can isolate for q, where q= Vr/k, hence q = (530,000)(.15) / (9E9)