Fundamentals of Physics Extended (10th Edition)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1-11823-072-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-11823-072-5

Chapter 21 - Coulomb's Law - Problems - Page 627: 34a

Answer

$\theta = 37.5^{\circ}$

Work Step by Step

Since $q \leq 5e$, the charge of particles 3 and 4 can be $-e, -2e, -3e, -4e,$ or $-5e$ By symmetry, the vertical components of the forces on particle 2 due to particle 3 and particle 4 cancel out. If the net electrostatic force on particle 2 due to the other particles is zero, then the force due to particle 1 and the sum of the horizontal components of the forces due to particle 3 and particle 4 must be equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. The smallest angle $\theta$ will occur when the magnitude of particles 3 and 4 is the smallest possible, which is $q = e$ We can equate the magnitudes to find $\theta$: $2\times ~\frac{\vert q_2 \vert~\vert~q_3 \vert}{4\pi~\epsilon_0~(R/cos~\theta)^2}~cos~\theta = \frac{\vert q_1 \vert~\vert~q_2 \vert}{4\pi~\epsilon_0~R^2}$ $\frac{2~e}{R^2}~cos^3~\theta = \frac{e}{R^2}$ $cos^3~\theta = \frac{1}{2}$ $cos~\theta = \sqrt[3] {\frac{1}{2}}$ $\theta = cos^{-1}~(\sqrt[3] {\frac{1}{2}})$ $\theta = 37.5^{\circ}$
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