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Two Charges1
Two Charges1
Two Charges1
2 cm
and the other (q2 = -22 µC) is at x2 = +8.2 cm. Find the net electric field (magnitude and
direction) at x=0. I thought I set it up correctly with finding E for each point with:
E=(kq)/r^2.
You are on the right track..but did you look at the direction of the field produced by each
point. ..q1 creates a filed at x = 0 that is to the left and q2 creates one that is to the right
Answers
Best Answer: Potential obeys the law of superposition; that is, the potential due to a system
of charges is the sum of the potentials due to each individual charge. In this problem, we are
not given a preferred coordinate system, so we may as well take x = 0 at one of the point
charges. It doesn't matter which, so I'll flip a coin and pick 3.4 μC to be at the origin. That
puts the -2.0 μC charge at x = 5 cm (we could also choose x = -5 cm without loss of
generality, but why add more signs than necessary?). For any point x along the x-axis, the
potential at x due to the 3.4 μC charge is (3.4 μC)/(4πε0|x|), and the potential at x due to the -
2.0 μC charge is (-2.0 μC)/[4πε0|x - 5cm|]. Notice how I use absolute value bars, because
potential only cares about distance and cares not one whit what coordinate system we impose.
Because of superposition, the total potential at x is the sum:
To solve this equation, consider that |a| = |b| implies either a = b or a = -b, and solve the two
resulting equations separately:
1.7x - 8.5 cm = x
0.7x = 8.5 cm
x = 12.14 cm
1.7x - 8.5 cm = -x
2.7x = 8.5 cm
x = 3.15 cm
These are the two locations along the x-axis where the potential is zero
Two charges q and -3q are placed fixed on x-axis separated by a distance d. Where should a
third charge 2q be placed such that it will not experience any force ?
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