Electric forces

Question

Given the arrangement of charged particles in the figure below, find the net electrostatic force on the q₂ = 14.33-µC charged particle. (Assume q₁ = 5.15 µC and q₃ = −25.18 µC. Express your answer in vector form.)

F = 

 

 N

Answer 1

Hi Bolu,

I am going to show you the structure of solving this problem

A) Find the absolute values of Coulombic forces |F₂₁| (on q2 from q1) and |F₂₃| (on q2 from q3) (here and below vectors are boldfaced)

B) from |F₂₁| and |F₂₃| find the x and y -components of F_{21 and} F₂₃ by using the given geometry of charges (pay attention to the signs of the charges)

C) Add x-components of two forces to get the x-component of the net force (F_net)_x=(F₂₁)_x+(F₂₃)_x

D) Add y-components of two forces to get the y-component of the net force (F_net)_y=(F₂₁)_y+(F₂₃)_y

E) Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find |F_net| from its components

F) Express the vector F_net either as (|F_net|, θ) where tan(θ)=(F_net )_y/(F_net )_x or, alternatively, as i(F_net )_x+j(F_net )_y

(i and j are the unit vectors along positive directions on x and y axes correspondingly)

Good luck!

Dr. Boroda