Coulomb's Law, net electrostatic force

In summary, using Coulomb's Law, the total electrostatic force on a third particle with charge 2 μC placed on the x-axis at -2 cm is calculated by first finding the force between the first two particles (8 cm and 6 cm apart), which is found to be -997.0507813 N. However, this is not the desired answer, as the question asks for the force on the third particle. Using the same formula, but with the third particle's charge and distance from the first particle, the correct answer is found to be -983.0078125 N.
  • #1
nn3568
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0

Homework Statement


A particle with charge −9 μC is located on the x-axis at the point 8 cm, and a second particle with charge 5 μC is placed on the x-axis at 6 cm. The Coulomb constant is 8.9875 × 109 N · m2/C2. What is the magnitude of the total electrostatic force on a third particle with charge 2 μC placed on the x-axis at −2 cm? Answer in units of N.


Homework Equations


Coulomb's Law
fe = (kq1q2)/(d2)


The Attempt at a Solution


(8.9875e9 * 2e-6 * 5e-6) / (0.08^2) = 14.04296875
(8.9875e9 * 5e-6 * -9e-6) / (0.02^2) = -983.0078125
14.04296875 + -983.0078125 = -997.0507813
magnitude 997.0507813

Why is this wrong? What can I do to make it right?
 
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  • #2
nn3568 said:
(8.9875e9 * 5e-6 * -9e-6) / (0.02^2) = -983.0078125
You want the force on the 2μC charge.
 
  • #3
Thank you so much!
 

1. What is Coulomb's Law?

Coulomb's Law is a fundamental law of physics that describes the electrostatic force between two charged particles. It states that the magnitude of the force is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

2. How is Coulomb's Law calculated?

Coulomb's Law can be expressed mathematically as F = k(q1q2)/r^2, where F is the electrostatic force, k is a constant, q1 and q2 are the charges of the particles, and r is the distance between them. The value of k depends on the medium in which the particles are located.

3. What is the net electrostatic force?

The net electrostatic force is the total force acting on a charged particle due to the presence of multiple other charged particles. It is the vector sum of all the individual electrostatic forces between the particles.

4. How does the distance between charged particles affect the net electrostatic force?

According to Coulomb's Law, the net electrostatic force between two charged particles decreases as the distance between them increases. This is because the force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance, meaning that as the distance doubles, the force decreases by a factor of four.

5. What is the significance of Coulomb's Law in everyday life?

Coulomb's Law is essential in understanding the behavior of electrically charged particles, which is crucial in many areas of science and technology. It helps explain phenomena such as static electricity, the behavior of atoms and molecules, and the functioning of electronic devices. It also plays a significant role in fields such as electromagnetism, electrochemistry, and astrophysics.

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