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By Coulomb's law, say if we have 2 point particles each having a charge of +1C then by the formula, $$F = k/d^2$$

if we need to make the distance $d$ between them zero, clearly the formula, we need to have an infinite amount of force.

However, in a real life scenario, we see that if we rub two balloons with our head, they acquire the same charge. However, it is still possible to make them touch.

Is this because the two balloons are not point objects? OR is the definition $d=0$ actually mean "to occupy the same space".

for $d$ to be 0, do the objects only need to touch or do their centers need to be together?

Qmechanic
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Aayush Mahajan
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1 Answers1

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No you can't bring charges in contact with each other even if they are oppositly charged because when they come too close to each other the nuclear force of repulsion would overcome the force of attraction due to the charges and their other factors too the link in one of the above comment by udiboy has the better explanation.
and now As much I know the phenomenon that happens with balloon is yes because they are not point charges when you bring two balloons closer having same charges the charge on the side of the balloon's changes due to conduction and the two adjacent side's acquire opposite charges as in the image

enter image description here

hope you understood

Deiknymi
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