- #1
DietRichCola
- 6
- 0
Homework Statement
A charge Q is fixed at each of two opposite corners of a square, while a charge q is fixed at the other two corners. (a) if the resultant electrical force on Q is zero, how are Q and q related? (b) could q be choosen to make the resultant electrical force on every charge zero? explain.
F1 = force between Q's
F2 = force between one Q and q's
a = side of the square
Homework Equations
F = (1/(4*pi*E))(q1*q2/r^2)
The Attempt at a Solution
(a) F1 = (1/(4*pi*E))(Q^2/2a^2)
F2 = (1/(4*pi*E))((Qq*sqrt(2))/(a^2))
I set them equal to each other and got: Q = -2q*sqrt(2)
The answers weren't in the back of the book, so I'm not sure if that's correct or not
The part I'm having trouble with is part (b). I don't think there can be a value for q that would make the forces on all the charges zero, but I don't know how to explain that.
Thanks!