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: 29

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; $$E_1=-\dfrac{(9.0\times 10^{ 9})(10\times 10^{-9})}{0.04^2}\;\hat i$$ $$E_1=({\bf -56,250}\;\hat i )\;{\rm N/C}\tag 1$$ $$E_2=\dfrac{k|q_2|}{r_2^2}(-\cos\theta\;\hat i-\sin\theta\;\hat j)$$ where $\sin\theta= 0.02/r_2$, $\cos\theta=0.04/r_2$. Thus, $$E_2=\dfrac{k|q_2|}{r_2^3}(-0.04 \;\hat i-0.02\;\hat j)$$ where $r_2=\sqrt{0.02^2+0.04^2}$ $$E_2=\dfrac{(9.0\times 10^{ 9})(10\times 10^{-9})}{(0.02^2+0.04^2)^{3/2}}(-0.04 \;\hat i-0.02\;\hat j)$$ $$E_2=({\bf -40,249}\;\hat i-{\bf 20,125}\;\hat j)\;\rm N/C\tag 2$$ $$E_3= \dfrac{kq_3}{r_3^2}\;\hat j$$ Plug the known; $$E_3= \dfrac{(9.0\times 10^{ 9})(5\times 10^{-9})}{0.02^2}\;\hat j$$ $$E_3=({\bf 112,500}\;\hat j )\;{\rm N/C}\tag 3$$ 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), $$E_{net}=[ -56,250\;\hat i]+[ -40,249\;\hat i- 20,125\;\hat j]+[112,500\;\hat j] $$ $$E_{net}= (\color{red}{\bf -96,499}\;\hat i +\color{red}{\bf 92,375}\;\hat j)\;\rm N/C $$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [b]}$$ The net electric field as a magnitude is given by $$E_{net}=\sqrt{E_x^2+E_y^2}$$ $$E_{net}=\sqrt{96,499^2+92,375^2}$$ $$E_{net}= \color{red}{\bf 133,586}\;\rm N/C$$ And since the $x$-component is negative and the $y$-component is positive, the angle of the net electric field is in the second quadrant. Hence, its angle is given by $$\theta_{net}=180^\circ-\tan^{-1}\left[ \dfrac{E_y}{E_x}\right]=180^\circ-\tan^{-1}\left[ \dfrac{92,375}{96,499}\right] $$ $$\theta_{net}=\color{red}{\bf 136.3}^\circ\tag{CCW}$$ Its direction is 136.3$^\circ$ counterclockwise from the $+x$-direction.
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