Describe forces on a test charge in electromagnetism

In summary, the individual is seeking clarification on the concept of the "felt" force when a test charge is brought near other charges. They watched a video but did not understand the explanation of the force being "complex." They are looking for further explanation on how forces between objects with different charges act.
  • #1
Blink691
17
0
I'm completely clueless with these statements. I watched a video on this, but all it said is that it was "complex" which didn't explain it much. If someone would possibly help me that would be great.. and appreciated! Thank you.

A. Describe the force "felt" by the test charge as it is brought near another positive charge.

B. Describe the force "felt" by the test charge as it is brought near a negative charge.

C. Describe the force "felt" by the test charge as it is brought near a combination of other charges
 
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  • #2
Blink691 said:
I'm completely clueless with these statements. I watched a video on this, but all it said is that it was "complex" which didn't explain it much. If someone would possibly help me that would be great.. and appreciated! Thank you.
A. Describe the force "felt" by the test charge as it is brought near another positive charge.
B. Describe the force "felt" by the test charge as it is brought near a negative charge.
C. Describe the force "felt" by the test charge as it is brought near a combination of other charges
I am not sure how to help you. Do you not understand the use of "felt" here?

Tell us what you know of how forces between objects with different charges act.
 
  • #3
I understand just about everything relating to forces, but I'm not exactly sure what they mean by "felt"... the video just said it was a feeling of comlex which didn't make much sense to me. Thank you though for replying.
 

1. What is electromagnetism?

Electromagnetism is a branch of physics that deals with the study of the interactions between electrically charged particles. It encompasses both electricity and magnetism as two aspects of the same fundamental force.

2. What is a test charge?

A test charge is a hypothetical point charge used to study the electric and magnetic forces in a given system. It is often represented by the symbol "q" and has a negligible effect on the overall system due to its small size.

3. What are the forces on a test charge in electromagnetism?

In electromagnetism, there are two types of forces that act on a test charge: electric force and magnetic force. The electric force is exerted by the electric field, while the magnetic force is exerted by the magnetic field. These forces can be attractive or repulsive depending on the charges and their relative positions.

4. How do the forces on a test charge vary with distance?

According to Coulomb's law, the electric force between two charges is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that as the distance between a test charge and another charged object increases, the force on the test charge decreases. Similarly, the strength of the magnetic force between a test charge and a magnetic field also follows an inverse square relationship with distance.

5. How do the forces on a test charge change in the presence of multiple charges or magnetic fields?

In the presence of multiple charges or magnetic fields, the forces on a test charge can be calculated by considering the superposition principle. This principle states that the total force on a test charge is the vector sum of the individual forces exerted by each charge or magnetic field. This allows for the prediction of the net forces on a test charge in complex electromagnetism systems.

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