Applied Physics

Lecture 10, 11 and 12

Coulomb’s Law: Vector Form
 Coulomb’s Law

If there are n charged particles, they interact independently in pairs, and the
force on any one of them, say particle 1, is given by the vector sum
Problem
 Problem
In the figure below, the particles have charges
q1 = -q2 =100nC, and q3 = -q4 = 200nC, and
the distance a = 5 cm.

What are the x and y components of the net

electrostatic force on particle 3 ?
 Problem
The three charged particles in the figure below lie on the x-axis.
Particles 1 and 2 are fixed in place. Particle 3 is free to move, but
the net electrostatic force on it from particles 1 and 2 is zero.

If L23 = L12, what is the ratio of q1/q2 ?

 Problem
In the figure below, particle 1 is of charge +1µC and particle 2 is of
charge -3µC are held at a separation L = 10cm at x axis. If particle
3 of unknown charge q3 is to be located such that net electrostatic
force on it from particles 1 and 2 is zero, what must be the x and y
coordinates of particle 3 ?
 Problem
In the figure below, particle 1 is of charge +q and particle 2 is of
charge +4q are held at a separation L = 09cm at x axis. If particle 3
of charge q3 is to be located such that the three particles remain
stationary when released. What must be the x and y coordinates of
particle 3 and the ratio q3/q?