Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 28 - The Electric Potential - Exercises and Problems - Page 835: 49

Answer

$-5.1\times10^{-19}\;\rm J$

Work Step by Step

The potential energy of this system is given by $$U_{\rm sys}=U_{12}+U_{23}+U_{13}+U_{14}+U_{24}+U_{34}\tag 1$$ We can see, from the figure below, that $$U_{12}=U_{23}=U_{13}=\dfrac{k(-e)(-e)}{r}=\dfrac{ke^2}{r}\tag 2$$ and that $$U_{14}=U_{24}=U_{34}=\dfrac{k(-e)(+e)}{r'}=\dfrac{-ke^2}{r'}$$ where $r'=\dfrac{0.5r}{\cos30^\circ}=\dfrac{r}{\sqrt{3}}$ $$U_{14}=U_{24}=U_{34}=\dfrac{k(-e)(+e)}{r'}=\dfrac{-\sqrt{3}ke^2 }{r}\tag 3$$ From (1); $$U_{\rm sys}=3 U_{12} +3U_{14} $$ Plug from (2), and (3), $$U_{\rm sys}=3 \left[\dfrac{ke^2}{r}\right]+3\left[ \dfrac{-\sqrt{3}ke^2 }{r} \right] $$ $$U_{\rm sys}= \dfrac{3ke^2}{r} + \dfrac{-3\sqrt{3}ke^2 }{r} $$ $$U_{\rm sys}= \dfrac{3ke^2}{r}\left[1 - \sqrt{3} \right] $$ $$U_{\rm sys}= \dfrac{3(9\times 10^9)(1.6\times 10^{-19})^2}{1\times 10^{-9}}\left[1 - \sqrt{3} \right] $$ $$U_{\rm sys}=\color{red}{\bf -5.1\times10^{-19}}\;\rm J$$
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