Hummingbirds can pick up static charge as they fly either fromthe air or from interactions with plants. A possible value is +250pC.
a. Given this charge, did the bird gain positive charge or losenegative charge? Explain.
b. If we model the hummingbird as a sphere with the above netcharge attained from the air with a radius of 2.9 cm, what is theelectric potential or “voltage†at the bird and 5 cm away from thebird?
c. If we model the bird (charged through interactions withplants) as one side of a capacitor with the earth as the other sidewith the opposite charge, and the capacitance is 1.3 pF, what isthe potential difference between the bird and the earth? (parts band c are independent questions.)
