Physics: Principles with Applications (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32162-592-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-32162-592-2

Chapter 16 - Electric Charge and Electric Field - Problems - Page 470: 30

Answer

$1.15\times 10^6 N/C$, toward the $-38.6 \mu C$ charge.

Work Step by Step

The two $-27.0 \mu C$ negative charges opposite from each other will create fields at the center that cancel each other. Only the two remaining charges matter. The electric field due to the $-38.6 \mu C$ charge (#1) points toward it. The electric field due to the $-27.0 \mu C$charge (#2) points toward it. Because these two fields point in opposite directions, the magnitudes should be subtracted. The distance from each charge to the center is $(42.5 cm/\sqrt{2})$. $$E=E_1-E_2$$ $$E=\frac{k|Q_1|}{r_1^2}-\frac{k|Q_2|}{r_2^2}$$ $$=(8.99\times10^9\frac{N\cdot m^2}{C^2})(\frac{38.6\times10^{-6}C}{(0.425 m/\sqrt{2})^2}-\frac{27.0\times10^{-6}C}{(0.425 m/\sqrt{2})^2})$$ $$=1.15\times 10^6 N/C$$ The direction is toward the $-38.6 \mu C$ charge.
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