Direction of Net Electric Field

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating the net electric field at sphere A due to two negatively charged spheres, B and C. The magnitude of the electric field is determined to be 7.71 x 10^5 N/C. The angle calculated is 60.1 degrees, but there is confusion regarding how to reference this angle correctly. It is clarified that to find the correct angle in the second quadrant, one should use the formula tanθ = -Fy/Fx, resulting in an angle adjustment of (180 - θ). The final direction of the net electric field is confirmed to be in the second quadrant.
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Homework Statement



A charge of -5.66 x 10-6 coulombs exists on each of the three spheres in the figure below. Sphere B is 0.364 meters from sphere A, and sphere C is 0.276 meters from sphere A.

b. Find the magnitude and direction of the net electric field at the location of sphere A (referenced to east being 0°, all angles between 0° and 360°).

CoulombNet.jpg


The Attempt at a Solution



I got the magnitude to be 7.71 x 10 ^5 and it was correct...

so i solved for the angle and got 60.1 degrees...

but I am unsure of how this will correlate to the angle... i tried adding 270 and then 360-60.1 and neither worked
 
Last edited:
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this is semi-urgent... help is appreciated... thanks everyone
 
The resultant force is in the second quadrant.
If you find the angle by using
tanθ = - Fy/Fx , the the required angle is (180 - θ).
 

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