Electric Field Between +2 and -3 Charges

In summary, the conversation discusses the calculation of electric field on the line exactly halfway between a +2 C charge and a -3 charge, which are 20cm apart. The equation E = kq/d^2 is used, but it is applied incorrectly by considering the directions of the field vectors from each charge. The correct direction can be determined by the sign of the charge, with a -3 charge having a field pointing towards the right and a +2 charge having a field pointing towards the left. The correct answer is 4.5 x 10^12 N/C pointing to the left.
  • #1
rhodium
9
0
hi everybody,

Homework Statement



A +2 C charge is 20cm to the right of a -3 charge. What is the electric field on the line excatly halfway between the two charges?

Homework Equations



E = kq/d^2

The Attempt at a Solution



force of attraction; therefore vector of -3 charge would be to the right and vector of 2 charge would be to the left (negative).

E= k(3)/(0.1^2) + k(-2)/(0.1^2) = 9 x 10^11

The handout answer is 4.5 x 10^12 N/C (left). Am I using the wrong equation?
 
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  • #2
It's the right equation, but you're using it incorrectly.

When you say "vector of -3 charge would be to the right and vector of 2 charge would be to the left", do you mean that these are the directions of the field vectors from each of these charges? This isn't correct.

How do you determine the direction of the field, given the sign of the charge?
 
  • #3
thank you so much!:approve:

salam
 

Related to Electric Field Between +2 and -3 Charges

1. What is an electric field?

An electric field is a physical field that surrounds electrically charged particles and affects the behavior of other charged particles within its range. It can be represented as a vector, with both magnitude and direction, and is measured in units of Newtons per Coulomb (N/C).

2. How is the electric field calculated between +2 and -3 charges?

The electric field between two point charges is calculated using the formula E = kQ/r^2, where k is the Coulomb's constant (9x10^9 Nm^2/C^2), Q is the magnitude of the charge, and r is the distance between the two charges. In this case, the electric field would be calculated separately for the +2 and -3 charges, and then the resulting fields would be added together as vectors to determine the net electric field.

3. How does the electric field change as the distance between the charges changes?

The electric field follows an inverse square law, meaning that as the distance between the charges increases, the electric field decreases proportionally. This means that the electric field would be stronger when the charges are closer together and weaker when they are farther apart.

4. What is the direction of the electric field between +2 and -3 charges?

The direction of the electric field is determined by the direction of the force that a positive test charge would experience when placed in the field. In this case, the electric field would point away from the +2 charge and towards the -3 charge, as oppositely charged particles attract each other.

5. Can the electric field between +2 and -3 charges be zero?

Yes, the electric field between two charges can be zero at certain points in between the charges. This occurs when the two charges have equal magnitude and are placed at equal distances from the point in question. In this case, the electric field would cancel out due to the equal and opposite forces acting on a positive test charge, resulting in a net electric field of zero.

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