Couple of questions Please help Point particle orbiting two charges

In summary, the electric field is a vector field and each positive charge repels the other, and the negative charge attracts one positive charge. Coulombs law for charges is used to calculate the forces on the + charges and - charge.
  • #1
mrk442
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Homework Statement


Two Point particles with charge +Q lie on the z axis at z=+d/2 and z= -d/2 a point particle with charge -Q and Mass=m is orbiting in the X-Y plane in a circular radius=r the path of the orbit is thus z=0, x^2+y^2=r^2

A. find the total coulomb force on the positive particles in the Z direction the Z component

B. Set Fz from equation a. to equal 0 and solve for r in terms of d

C.find the radial force in the x-y plane acting on the negative particle and set it equal to the centripital force required to keep the particle in the circular orbit.

D.solve c. for mv^2 in terms of d,Q,r,etc

E. Find the potential energy of the three electrostatic interactions in the system.

F. Express kinetic energy using the reults in D, find the total energy of the system.
in H2+ molocular ion, protons with Q+ =1.6x10^-19 coulombs are separated by a distance d=100pm = 106x10^-12 while a lone electron with m=9.1x10^-31kg,-Q=-1.6x10^-19 C orbits the center plane.

G. Use b. to find the radius of the clasical orbit of the electron.

H. Use f. to find the total energy of the ion in Joules. it should be negative if the ion will stay together.

I. express the result h. in unit elexctron volts.

Homework Equations


Coulombs
PE
Kinetic energy


The Attempt at a Solution


I missed a few days of class and we where given this question 1 of 4 as prep for our test I am really at a loss for where to begin here? I assume for a. i can ignore the -Q charge since it does not lay on the z access or afect the z component but i am not sure. i am actually not really sure at all what to do with some of the rest. i am going through the book as i type this but i am a little stuck since i missed two weeks of class when i hurt my back any help to get me going would be apreciated i have a couple of other questions i might post later if i don't work them out.

thanks again!
 
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  • #2
  • #3
Thanks i will start with that :) and post my results or as i run into issue any help is always welcome :)

Thanks again
matt
 

1. How does a point particle orbit two charges?

A point particle will orbit two charges due to the electrostatic force between the charges. The magnitude of this force is given by Coulomb's law, and the direction of the force is towards or away from the charges depending on the sign of the charges and the position of the particle.

2. What factors affect the orbit of a point particle around two charges?

The main factors that affect the orbit of a point particle around two charges are the magnitude of the charges, the distance between the charges, and the mass of the particle. These factors determine the strength of the electrostatic force and the resulting acceleration of the particle.

3. Can a point particle orbit two charges in a stable manner?

Yes, a point particle can orbit two charges in a stable manner if the electrostatic force between the charges and the particle is balanced with the centrifugal force of the particle's orbit. This can occur at specific distances and with specific velocities, resulting in circular or elliptical orbits.

4. How does the position of the point particle affect its orbit around two charges?

The position of the point particle affects its orbit around two charges in terms of the magnitude and direction of the electrostatic force. Depending on the distance and angle from the charges, the particle may experience a stronger or weaker force, and the direction of the force may change, resulting in different types of orbits.

5. Is there a limit to the number of charges a point particle can orbit?

No, there is no limit to the number of charges a point particle can orbit. However, as the number of charges increases, the complexity of the orbit will also increase due to the varying strengths and directions of the electrostatic force. Additionally, the presence of multiple charges may result in interference and affect the stability of the particle's orbit.

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