GENERAL PHYSICS 2

THIRD QUARTER
WEEK 2

SUPERPOSITION PRINCIPLE
We can state the superposition principle as:

The net electrostatic force on a charged particle is equal to the vector sum of the
electrostatic force exerted by each point charge on that particle.

Sample problems:
1. Three point charges are located along the x-axis. Point charge q1 = +3.5 x 10-6 C is at
x=0, point charge q2 = +8.5 x 10-6 C is at x = 2.0 m, and point charge q3 = - 5.0 x 10-6 C
is at x = 3.0 m. Find the resultant electric force acting on q1.

q1 q2 q3

+ + -
2.0 m 1.0 m -

Given: q1= +3.5 x 10-6 C

q2= +8.5 x 10-6 C
q3 = -5.0 X 10-6 C
r2 on 1 = 2.0 m
r3 on 1 = 3.0 m

Solution:
Solve first for the individual forces F2 on 1 (force exerted by q2 on q1) and F3 on 1 (exerted by q3
on q1).

│𝑞1 𝑞2 │
𝐹2 𝑜𝑛 1 = 𝑘
𝑟22𝑜𝑛 1
𝑚2 │(+3.5 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)(+8.5 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)│
= (9 𝑋109 𝑁. 2
)(
𝐶 (2.0 𝑚)2

= 0.0669 𝑁 ≈ 0.07 𝑁
Point charge q2 repels q1. Thus, F2 on 1 is directed to the left.

│𝑞1 𝑞3 │
𝐹3 𝑜𝑛 1 = 𝑘
𝑟32𝑜𝑛 1
𝑚2 │(+3.5 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)(−5 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)│
= (9 𝑋109 𝑁. 2
)(
𝐶 (3.0 𝑚)2

= 0.0175 𝑁 ≈ 0.02 𝑁
Point charge q3 attracts q1. Therefore, F3 on 1 is directed to the right. Setting the left direction to
be positive and the right direction to be negative, the magnitude F of the resultant force is F = 0.0669 N
– 0.0175 N = 0.0494 N, directed to the left.
 2. Three identical point charges with charge q = +3.0 x 10-6 C are placed at each vertex of an
equilateral triangle ABC as shown. If the side of the equilateral triangle is 0.01 m, find the
resultant electric force on the charge at vertex A.

Given: qA = qB = qC = +3.0 x 10-6 C

r = 0.01 m
qA

A
r r

qB B C qc
r

Solution:
│𝑞𝐴 𝑞𝐵 │
𝐹𝐵 𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = 𝑘
𝑟𝐵2𝑜𝑛 𝐴
𝑚2 │(+3.0 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)(+3.0 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)│
= (9 𝑋109 𝑁. )(
𝐶2 (0.01 𝑚)2

= 810 𝑁
Point charge qB repels qA. Thus, FB on A is directed to the right up at 60 degrees (since the
triangle is equilateral) with the positive x-axis. Force FC on A is computed using the same equation.

│𝑞𝐴 𝑞𝐶 │
𝐹𝐶 𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = 𝑘
𝑟𝐶2𝑜𝑛 𝐴
𝑚2 │(+3.0 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)(+3.0 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)│
= (9 𝑋 109 𝑁. 2 )(
𝐶 (0.01 𝑚)2

= 810 𝑁
Point charge qC repels qA. Thus, FC on A is directed upward to the left at an angle of 60 degrees
with the negative x-axis.
To visualize FB on A and FC on A, qA is placed at the origin of the Cartesian coordinate system as
shown. The component method is used to determine the resultant electric force F.

810 N 810 N

60o 60o
qA

Force Horizontal Component Vertical Component

FB on A o
+810 N (cos 60 ) = 405 N +810 N (sin60o) = 702 N
FB on A -810 N (cos 60o) = 405 N +810 N (sin60o) = 702 N
Resultant electric force F ∑𝐹𝑥 = 0 ∑𝐹𝑦 = 1404 𝑁
Therefore, the resultant electric force is equal to 1404 N≈1400 N acting vertically up.
 3. Four point charges (two with q = 2.50 x 10 -6 C and two with q = -2.50 x 10-6 C) are situated at
the corners of a square of side 1.00 m as shown. Find the resultant force that the charge at A will
experience due to the charges at the other corners of the square.

Given: qA= qB=+2.50 x 10-6 C +q r +q

A B
qC= qD= -2.50 x 10-6 C
r = 1.0 m r r

C D
-q r -q
Solution:
Equation (1.1) is used to solve for the magnitude of the electric force exerted by each of the
charges at the other corners of the square on the charge at A.

│𝑞𝐴 𝑞𝐵 │
𝐹𝐵 𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = 𝑘
𝑟𝐵2𝑜𝑛 𝐴
𝑚2 │(+2.50 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)(+2.50 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)│
= (9 𝑋109 𝑁. 2
)(
𝐶 (1.00 𝑚)2

= 0.05625 𝑁 ≈ 0.06 𝑁

│𝑞𝐴 𝑞𝐶 │
𝐹𝐶 𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = 𝑘
𝑟𝐶2𝑜𝑛 𝐴
𝑚2 │(+2.50 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)(−2.50 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)│
= (9 𝑋109 𝑁. 2 )(
𝐶 (1.00 𝑚)2

= 0.05625 𝑁 ≈ 0.06 𝑁
Solve first for the distance between D and A. Using the Pythagorean theorem,

𝑟𝐷 𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = √(𝑟𝐵 𝑜𝑛 𝐴 )2 + (𝑟(𝐷 𝑜𝑛 𝐵) 2

= √(1.00𝑚)2 + (1.00𝑚)2 = 1.414 𝑚 ≈ 1.41 𝑚

Therefore,

│𝑞𝐴 𝑞𝐷 │
𝐹𝐷 𝑜𝑛 𝐴 = 𝑘
𝑟𝐷2 𝑜𝑛 𝐴
𝑚2 │(+2.50 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)(−2.50 𝑋 10−6 𝐶)│
= (9 𝑋109 𝑁. 2 )(
𝐶 (1.414 𝑚)2

= 0.02813 𝑁 ≈ 0.03 𝑁
F B on A is repulsive. Since the charges are both positive, the charge at B will push the charge at
A away from it. Therefore, FB on A is directed to the left. FC on A is attractive since the charges are opposite.
The charge at C will attract the charge at A toward it. Therefore, FC on A is directed down. FD on A is
attractive since the charges are opposite. The charge at D will attract the charge at A toward it. Therefore,
FD on A is directed down at 45 degrees with the +x-axis, with qA placed at the origin of the x-y plane as
shown in the diagram.
 FB on A qA

FC on A FD on A

The table below presents the respective horizontal and vertical components of these forces
and the resultant electric force.
Force Horizontal Component Vertical Component
FB on A = 0.05625 N -0.05625 N 0
FC on A = 0.05625 N 0 -0.05625 N
FD on A = 0.02813 N +0.02813 N(cos45o) = +0.0199 -0.02813 N(cos45o) = - 0.0199
Resultant electric force F ∑𝐹𝑥 = −0.03635 𝑁 ∑𝐹𝑦 = −0.07615 𝑁
Solving for the magnitude of the resultant electric force,

𝐹 = √(∑𝐹𝑥 )2 + (∑𝐹𝑦 )2

= √(−0.03635 𝑁)2 + (−0.07615 𝑁)2

= 0.0844 𝑁
Solving for the direction,
∑𝐹𝑦
Ꝋ = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 │ │
∑𝐹𝑥
−0.07615 𝑁
= 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 │ │
−0.03635 𝑁
= 64.5o
Thus, the resultant force is 0.0844 N directed down at 64.5 o with the negative x-axis.