Sample Problem 1.

1
The figure shows two spheres that
initially have +4C and +8C of charge. After an
interaction (which could simply be that they
touch each other), the blue sphere has +10C
of charge, and the red sphere has an unknown
quantity of charge. Find the final charge on
the red sphere.
Solution:
qinitial = qfinal
qblue(i) + qred(i) = qblue(f) +qred(f)
qred(f)= qblue(i) + qred(i) - qblue(f)
qred(f)= 4C + 8C -10C
qred(f)= +2C
Sample Problem 1.2
A hydrogen atom consists of a single proton and a single electron. The
proton has a charge of +e and the electron has −e. In the “ground state” of the
atom, the electron orbits the proton at most probable distance of
5.29𝑥10−11 𝑚. Calculate the electric force on the electron due to the proton.

Solution:
1 𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑞1 𝑞2
𝐹= =𝑘
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟 2 𝑟2
2 −19 2
9
𝑁𝑚 1.60𝑥10 𝐶
𝐹 = (9.00𝑥10 )
𝐶2 5.29𝑥10−11 𝑚 2

Given:
𝑞1 = +ℯ = 1.60 𝑥10−19 𝐶
𝑞2 = −ℯ = 1.60 𝑥10−19 𝐶
𝑟 = 5.29 𝑥10−11 𝑚
𝑘 = 9.00 𝑥109 N𝑚2 /C 2
𝑭 = 𝟖. 𝟐𝟑 𝒙𝟏𝟎−𝟖 𝐍
The force is thus expressed as
𝐹 = (8.23 𝑥10−8 𝑁)𝑟Ƹ
Sample Problem 1.3

A point charge of +3.00 × 10−6 C is 12.0 cm distant from a second

point charge of −1.50 × 10−6 C. Calculate the magnitude of the force on
each charge.
Solution:
1 𝑞1 𝑞2
Given: 𝐹=
𝑞 = +3.00𝑥10−6 𝐶 4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟 2
1
𝑞2 = −1.50𝑥10−6 𝐶 1 (3.00𝑥10−6 𝐶)(1.50𝑥10−6 𝐶)
𝑟 = 12.0 𝑐𝑚 = 0.12 𝑚 𝐹=
𝐶2 0.12 𝑚 2
𝑘 = 9.00𝑥109 N𝑚2 /C 2 4𝜋(8.85 × 10−12 )
𝑁 ⋅ 𝑚2
9 2 2
(3.00𝑥10−6 𝐶)(1.50𝑥10−6 𝐶)
𝐹 = (9.0𝑥10 N𝑚 /C )
0.12 𝑚 2
𝑭 = 𝟐. 𝟖𝟏 𝐍
Sample Problem 1.4
Three different, small charged
objects are placed as shown in the
figure. The charges 𝑞1 and 𝑞3 are
fixed in place; 𝑞2 is free to move.
Given 𝑞1 = 2ℯ, 𝑞2 = −3ℯ, and 𝑞3 =
− 5ℯ , and that 𝑑 = 2.0 𝑥 10−7 𝑚 ,
what is the net force on the middle
charge 𝑞2 ?
Given:
Formula: 𝑞1 = 2ℯ, 𝑞2 = −3ℯ, 𝑞3 = −5ℯ
1 𝑞1 𝑞2 ℯ = 1.60 𝑥10−19 𝐶
𝐹= 𝑑 = 2.0 𝑥 10−7 𝑚
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟 2 1
Σ𝐹 = 𝐹21 + 𝐹23 = 9.00𝑥109 N𝑚2 /C2
4𝜋𝜀0
Continuation Prob. 1.4
1 𝑞2 𝑞3
𝐹23 = −
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟 2
1 (3ℯ)(5ℯ)
𝐹23 = −
4𝜋𝜀0 (2𝑑)2
𝐹𝑥 = 𝐹23
−19 −19
(4.80 𝑥10 𝐶)(8.00 𝑥10 𝐶)
𝐹𝑥 = −(9.00𝑥109 N𝑚2 /C 2 )
(4.00 𝑥10−7 𝑚)2
𝑭𝒙 = −𝟐. 𝟏𝟔𝒙𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟒 𝑵

1 𝑞2 𝑞1
𝐹21 =
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟 2
1 (3ℯ)(2ℯ)
𝐹21 =
4𝜋𝜀0 (𝑑)2
𝐹𝑦 = 𝐹21
9 2
(4.80 𝑥10−19 𝐶)(3.20 𝑥10−19 𝐶)
2
𝐹𝑦 = (9.00𝑥10 N𝑚 /C )
(2.00 𝑥10−7 𝑚)2
𝑭𝒚 = 𝟑. 𝟒𝟔𝒙𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟒 𝑵
 Continuation Prob. 1.4

𝜮𝑭 = 𝑭𝟐𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐𝟑
Apply Pythagorean theorem to solve for net force,

Σ𝐹 = 𝐹𝑥 2 + 𝐹𝑦 2
Solve for net force,

Σ𝐹 = 𝐹𝑥 2 + 𝐹𝑦 2
direction,
𝐹𝑦 Σ𝐹 = (−2.16𝑥10−14 𝑁)2 +(3.46𝑥10−14 𝑁)2
θ= 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 𝚺𝑭 = 𝟒. 𝟎𝟖𝒙𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟒 𝑵
𝐹𝑥
3.46𝑥10−14 𝑁
θ = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
2.16𝑥10−14 𝑁
𝛉 = 𝟓𝟖°
that is, 58° North of West or 58° above the x-axis.
Sample Problem 1.5
Calculate the magnitude of the electric field at the
electron’s distance away from the proton in a hydrogen atom
(5.3x10-11 m).

+e -e EP
+ - 𝑘𝑞 𝑘 +𝑒
D
EP = =
𝑟2 d2

(9.00 × 109 N𝑚2 /C2 ) 1.60 × 10−19 𝐶

Given: =
5.3 × 10−11 𝑚 2
𝑒 = 1.60𝑥10−19 𝐶
𝑟 = 5.3 × 10−11 𝑚 𝑵
𝑘 = 9.00𝑥109 N𝑚2 /C2 EP = 𝟓. 𝟏 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟏
𝑪
Sample Problem 1.6
A doorknob, which can be taken to be a spherical
metal conductor, acquires a static electricity charge
of 𝑞 = −1.5𝑛𝐶. What is the electric field 1.0 cm in
front of the doorknob? The diameter of the doorknob
is 5.0 cm.
Solution:
𝑘𝑞
𝐸=
𝑟2
(9.00 × 109 N𝑚2 /C 2 ) 1.50 × 10−9 𝐶
=
0.035 𝑚 2
Given:
𝑵
diameter = 5.0 cm; 𝑬 = 𝟏. 𝟏 × 𝟏𝟎𝟒
radius = 2.5 cm +1.0 cm 𝑪
𝑟 = 3.5 𝑐𝑚 = 0.035 𝑚
𝑞 = −1.5 𝑛𝐶 = −1.5𝑥10−9 𝐶 The electric field at x= 3.5 cm is
𝑘 = 9.00𝑥109 N𝑚2 /C 2 𝑵
𝑬 = −𝟏. 𝟏 × 𝟏𝟎𝟒 𝑪
ෝ
𝒙
Sample Problem 1.7
A point charge 𝑞 = −8.0𝑛𝐶 is located at
the origin. Find the electric field vector at the
field point 𝑥 = 1.2 𝑚, 𝑦 = −1.6 𝑚.

Solution
Solve for the distance between
point charge and field point,
Given: 𝑟= 𝑥2 + 𝑦2
𝑞 = −8.0 𝑛𝐶 = −8.0𝑥10−9 𝐶
N𝑚 2 𝑟= (1.2𝑚)2 +(−1.6𝑚)2
𝑘 = 9.00𝑥109 2
C 𝑟 = 2.0𝑚
field point 𝑥 = 1.2𝑚, 𝑦 = −1.6𝑚
Continuation Prob. 1.7
Solve for the unit vector,
𝑟Ԧ 𝑥 𝑖Ƹ + 𝑦𝑗Ƹ
𝑟Ƹ = =
𝑟 𝑟
(1.2𝑚)𝑖Ƹ + (−1.6𝑚)𝑗Ƹ
𝑟Ƹ =
2.0 𝑚
𝑟Ƹ = 0.60𝑖Ƹ − 0.80𝑗Ƹ q
E = k 2 𝑟Ƹ
r
Solve for electric field vector,
1 𝑞
𝐸= 2 𝑟Ƹ
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟
−9
9 2 2 −8.0×10 𝐶
= 9.00 × 10 N𝑚 /C 2.0 𝑚 2
(0.60𝑖Ƹ − 0.80𝑗)Ƹ
𝑵 𝑵
𝑬 = −11 𝑖Ƹ + (14 )𝑗Ƹ
𝑪 𝑪