Earth's Electric & Gravitational Field: Direction, Shape & Height

AI Thread Summary
Earth's electric field at its surface is approximately 1.0 x 10^2 N/C, directed towards the center of the planet, while the gravitational field also points downward but has a different magnitude and shape. The electric field is uniform near the surface, whereas the gravitational field decreases with height, following an inverse-square law. As height increases, the electric field remains relatively constant, while the gravitational field weakens. The largest mass that can be suspended by Earth's electric field, given a particle with elementary charge, can be calculated using the relationship between electric force and gravitational force. Understanding these differences is crucial for applications in physics and engineering.
pdaniel
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Homework Statement


Earth actually has an electric field of 1.0 x 10^2 N/C at its surface pointing toward the center.
(b) Compare Earth's electric field and gravitational field in terms of
i) direction
ii) shape
iii) how it changes as height increases.

c) What is the largest mass that can be suspended by the electric field of Earth if the particle has the elementary charge on it?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


I already did question (a), it was to find the charge on Earth and I got -4.52 x 10^5C
 
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