Calculating Force and Direction of Coulomb's Law Problems

In summary, the conversation discussed a homework problem involving three charges placed in the corners of a triangle and determining the force, magnitude, and direction of the forces exerted by two charges on the third. The equations used were Coulomb's Law and calculating the angle using tangent. The individual attempted a solution, but it was not yet complete and asked for suggestions and tips on how to improve. They also asked for other exercises to practice with.
  • #1
roy_ament
2
0
I'm new in this forum, so i don't know if this is in the correct place..

Homework Statement


I got 3 charges
q1= 2.0x10^-6C
q2=8.0x10^-6C
Q=4.0x10^-6C
They're placed in the corners of a triangle like in this draw
Dibujo.jpg


I have to know the force that q1 and q2 act on Q, the magnitude, and the direction

Homework Equations



F=(kq1q2)/r2
for the angle which is 38.65 i do the tan-1 of .40/.50

The Attempt at a Solution


Fq1Q=( (9x109 Nm2/c2) (2.0x10-6 C) (4.0x10-6C))/(.50m)2

Fq1Q= .288N

So know i split in the components of X and Y right?
x= .288(cos38.65) Y= .288 (sin38.65)
x=.22N Y= .1798

Fq2Q=( (9x109 Nm2/c2) (8.0x10-6 C) (4.0x10-6C))/(.50m)2

Fq2Q= 1.152N

x=1.152 (cos 38.65) Y=1.152 (sin38.65)
x=.8999n y=.7119n
Now for the magnitude

x= .22+.899=1.119N
y=-.1798+.7119= .5321N

sqrt((1.119)2(.5321)2)= 1.311N
as for the direction
tan-1 = (.5321/1.119)= 25.43°so.. am I right?
all sugetionts are really apreciated, tips and stuff.. hope anyone can help me

sry if my descriptions are wrong, I'm from mexico and my english is not perfect:shy:
if someone also could give me other exercises for practice... it will be perfect!
 
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  • #2
roy_ament said:
I'm new in this forum, so i don't know if this is in the correct place..

Homework Statement


I got 3 charges
q1= 2.0x10^-6C
q2=8.0x10^-6C
Q=4.0x10^-6C
They're placed in the corners of a triangle like in this draw
Dibujo.jpg


I have to know the force that q1 and q2 act on Q, the magnitude, and the direction

Homework Equations



F=(kq1q2)/r2
for the angle which is 38.65 i do the tan-1 of .40/.50

The Attempt at a Solution


Fq1Q=( (9x109 Nm2/c2) (2.0x10-6 C) (4.0x10-6C))/(.50m)2

Fq1Q= .288N

So know i split in the components of X and Y right?
x= .288(cos38.65) Y= .288 (sin38.65)
x=.22N Y= .1798

Fq2Q=( (9x109 Nm2/c2) (8.0x10-6 C) (4.0x10-6C))/(.50m)2

Fq2Q= 1.152N

x=1.152 (cos 38.65) Y=1.152 (sin38.65)
x=.8999n y=.7119n
Now for the magnitude

x= .22+.899=1.119N
y=-.1798+.7119= .5321N

sqrt((1.119)2(.5321)2)= 1.311N
as for the direction
tan-1 = (.5321/1.119)= 25.43°


so.. am I right?
all sugetionts are really apreciated, tips and stuff.. hope anyone can help me

sry if my descriptions are wrong, I'm from mexico and my english is not perfect:shy:
if someone also could give me other exercises for practice... it will be perfect!

Not quite finished. Without doing all the math, it looks like you understand the steps involved. I will presume that the magnitude and angle are correct. But what direction is the angle off of?
 
  • #3
As to more problems you can look through this thread. At the bottom of this thread are some links to Coulombs Law problems. You can also search the thread for other topics of interest.

Good Luck.
 
  • #4
LowlyPion said:
As to more problems you can look through this thread. At the bottom of this thread are some links to Coulombs Law problems. You can also search the thread for other topics of interest.

Good Luck.

thanks for your help!, I am looking the other threads right know, trying to solve them:approve:
 

Related to Calculating Force and Direction of Coulomb's Law Problems

What is Coulomb's Law?

Coulomb's Law is a fundamental law of physics that describes the electrostatic interaction between charged particles. It states that the force between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

How do you calculate the force between two charged particles using Coulomb's Law?

The force between two charged particles can be calculated using the formula F = k(q1q2)/r2, where F is the force, k is the Coulomb's constant, q1 and q2 are the charges of the particles, and r is the distance between them.

What is the unit of charge used in Coulomb's Law?

The unit of charge used in Coulomb's Law is coulomb (C). It is equivalent to the charge of approximately 6.24 x 1018 protons or electrons.

What are some common applications of Coulomb's Law?

Coulomb's Law has many practical applications, including understanding the behavior of electric charges in circuits, the attraction and repulsion of magnets, and the stability of atoms and molecules.

How does the distance between two charged particles affect the force between them?

The force between two charged particles is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that as the distance between the particles increases, the force decreases. Conversely, as the distance decreases, the force increases.

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