Electric Potential problem, 4 equal charges, different signs, weird shape.

[BATBLady]

Homework Statement

The drawing shows four point charges. The value of q is 1.96 µC, and the distance d is 0.93 m. Find the total potential at the location P. Assume that the potential of a point charge is zero at infinity.
Image of problem is attached.

Homework Equations

V=kq/r

The Attempt at a Solution

Our attempts at solving this problem included just adding the various vectors, canceling out the negative vectors since they pull in the opposite direction and just using the positive vectors, but neither works. Help? Problem due Tuesday by 11:30pm for homework. Thanks

 

[tiny-tim]

Hi BATBLady!

Show us your full calculations, and then we can see what went wrong, and we'll know how to help!

(btw, potential is a scalar, not a vector)

 

[kerimek]

I would approach this problem by first identifying the key variables and the relationships between them. In this case, the key variables are the four point charges, their values (q), and the distance between them (d). The relationship between these variables can be described by the equation V=kq/r, where V is the electric potential, k is the Coulomb's constant, q is the charge, and r is the distance between the charges.

To solve this problem, we can use the principle of superposition, which states that the total potential at a point due to multiple charges is equal to the sum of the individual potentials at that point. In other words, we can find the potential at point P by adding the potentials due to each of the four charges.

Since the charges have different signs, we need to consider the direction of the electric field they create. Positive charges create an outward electric field, while negative charges create an inward electric field. Therefore, we need to pay attention to both the magnitude and direction of each charge's potential.

To do this, we can use vector addition to find the total potential at point P. We can represent each charge's potential as a vector, with its magnitude and direction determined by the charge's value and the distance between the charge and point P. By adding these vectors together, we can find the resultant vector, which will give us the total potential at point P.

Alternatively, we can use the principle of superposition to find the total potential at point P. We can calculate the potential due to each charge individually using the equation V=kq/r, and then add these individual potentials together to find the total potential at point P.

In both cases, we will need to pay attention to the signs of the charges and their respective potentials, as well as the direction of the electric fields they create. By carefully considering these factors and using the appropriate mathematical approach, we can solve this electric potential problem with 4 equal charges of different signs and a weird shape.