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joshphysics
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Hints for the force

  1. The electrostatic force $d\vec F$ on a small segment $dl$ of the rod given the field $\vec E$ of the other rod is $$ d\vec F = \lambda\, dl \,\vec E $$

  2. Determine the field of one rod, and use the above expression to integrate the force it exerts on the other rod.

  3. This is a 2D problem since, by symmetry, the force is in the plane containing both rods.

Hints for the torque

  1. Take the point at which both rods are joined as the origin, then the torque on a small segment of one rod due to the field of the other is $$ d\vec \tau = \vec r\times d\vec F $$ where $\vec r$ is the vector pointing from the origin to the segment.

  2. Integrate to find the total torque.

joshphysics
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