- #1
illidari
- 47
- 0
Homework Statement
A small object of mass 3.64 g and charge -18.1 µC is suspended motionless above the ground when immersed in a uniform electric field perpendicular to the ground. What are the magnitude and direction of the electric field?
Homework Equations
E=F/q
The Attempt at a Solution
I solved for the magnitude and was fine with that but was wondering why the electric field direction would be downwards?
Why couldn't it be upwards?
E = m*g / -q = -#
My logic was that a - electric field upwards would make the charged object hover since - and - repel.
I guess if it was going downwards the same effect would still occur, but I don't understand (if this is even right...) how to determine if up or down.
Am i completely off track on how to think about this?