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 26 - The Electric Field - Exercises and Problems - Page 776: 28

Answer

See the detailed answer below.

Work Step by Step

$$\color{blue}{\bf [a]}$$ First, we need to draw the electric field direction at the black dot, as seen below. Thus, from the figure below, we can see that $$E_1=\dfrac{k|q_1|}{r_1^2}\;\hat i$$ Plug the known; $$E_1=\dfrac{(9.0\times 10^{ 9})(5\times 10^{-9})}{0.02^2}\;\hat i$$ $$E_1=({\bf 112,500}\;\hat i )\;{\rm N/C}\tag 1$$ $$E_2=\dfrac{k|q_2|}{r_2^2}(-\sin\theta\;\hat i+\sin\theta\;\hat j)$$ where $\sin\theta= 0.02/r_2$, $\cos\theta=0.04/r_2$. Thus, $$E_2=\dfrac{k|q_2|}{r_2^3}(-0.02 \;\hat i+0.04\;\hat j)$$ where $r_2=\sqrt{0.02^2+0.04^2}$ $$E_2=\dfrac{(9.0\times 10^{ 9})(5\times 10^{-9})}{(0.02^2+0.04^2)^{3/2}}(-0.02 \;\hat i+0.04\;\hat j)$$ $$E_2=({\bf -10,062}\;\hat i+{\bf 20,124}\;\hat j)\;\rm N/C\tag 2$$ $$E_3=-\dfrac{kq_3}{r_3^2}\;\hat j$$ Plug the known; $$E_3=-\dfrac{(9.0\times 10^{ 9})(10\times 10^{-9})}{0.04^2}\;\hat j$$ $$E_3=({\bf -56,250 }\;\hat j )\;{\rm N/C}\tag 3$$ Therefore, the net electric field in a component form is given by $$E_{net}=E_1+E_2+E_3$$ Plugging from above (1), (2), (3), $$E_{net}=[112,500\;\hat i]+[ -10,062\;\hat i+ 20,124\;\hat j]+[-56,250\;\hat j] $$ $$E_{net}= (\color{red}{\bf 102,438}\;\hat i -\color{red}{\bf 36,126}\;\hat j)\;\rm N/C $$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [b]}$$ The net electric field as a magnitude is given by $$E_{net}=\sqrt{E_x^2+E_y^2}$$ $$E_{net}=\sqrt{102,438^2+36,126^2}$$ $$E_{net}= \color{red}{\bf 108,621}\;\rm N/C$$ And since the $x$-component is positive and the $y$-component is negative, the angle of the net electric field is in the fourth quadrant. Hence, its angle is given by $$\theta_{net}=\tan^{-1}\left[ \dfrac{E_y}{E_x}\right]=\tan^{-1}\left[ \dfrac{36,126}{102,438}\right]$$ $$\theta_{net}=\color{red}{\bf19.4}^\circ\tag{CW}$$ Its direction is 19.4$^\circ$ clockwise from the $+x$-direction.
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