Is the Unit Vector Always in the Direction from the Charge to the Point?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem related to electric fields and unit vectors in the context of electrostatics. Participants are examining the relationship between a charge and a point in space, specifically questioning the directionality of the unit vector associated with the electric field.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are exploring the implications of using the unit vector in the expression for the electric field, particularly whether it always points from the charge to the point of interest. There is also a discussion about the interpretation of the problem setup and the variables involved.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with some participants providing reassurance about their calculations while others are questioning the assumptions made regarding the problem's parameters. There is a recognition of potential confusion stemming from the problem's depiction and terminology.

Contextual Notes

Participants note discrepancies between their interpretations of the problem and the provided answer key, particularly regarding the dimensions and definitions used in the problem statement.

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Your answer and work look OK to me.
 
Thx, my confidence doesn't feel so shattered now :P
 
Though your work was just fine, you could save yourself some effort by using a symmetry argument.
 
Teacher just got back to me... turns the side of the square is A...somehow looking at how they depicted A in that drawing made me think A was the distance from center... even though it says in the instructions that A is the whole side... zzz

using distance from center = a/2 then problem comes out to their answer 3.05e13
 
D'oh! Sorry about that... I must have been sleeping also. (I just looked at the diagram and ASSumed that "a" was the distance from the origin.) :frown:
 
It's ok...this problem was booby trapped! :cry:
 
o quick question...

is the unit vector R always in direction from the charge to the point..QP
 
FocusedWolf said:
is the unit vector R always in direction from the charge to the point..QP
Yes, if you mean in the expression for the field at point P due to charge Q:
[tex]\vec{E} = \frac{k Q}{R^2} \hat{R}[/tex]
 

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