Electric Field at Various Points Between Two Charged Rods

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the electric field at specific points between two charged rods: a +10 nC rod and a -10 nC rod, positioned 4 cm apart. The user calculated the electric field at three points: 1 cm, 2 cm, and 3 cm from the positive rod, observing that the field at the midpoint (2 cm) was less than at the other two points. This counterintuitive result prompted the user to seek clarification on whether a mistake was made in their calculations, specifically regarding the application of the electric field formula, Erod = (1/(4πε₀)) * |Q| / (d * (d² + (L/2)^(1/2))).

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electric fields and Coulomb's law
  • Familiarity with the concept of superposition in electrostatics
  • Knowledge of the formula for electric fields due to point charges
  • Basic algebra and geometry for distance calculations
NEXT STEPS
  • Review the derivation of the electric field formula for charged rods
  • Explore the concept of electric field superposition in multi-charge systems
  • Learn about the effects of distance on electric field strength
  • Investigate the behavior of electric fields in different geometrical configurations
USEFUL FOR

Students studying electrostatics, physics educators, and anyone interested in understanding electric fields between charged objects.

Bogus_Roads
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Homework Statement


Two questions:

One problem asked me to calculate the Electrical Field at points 1 (1cm from the + rod),2 (2 cm from the positive rod), and 3 (3 cm from the positive rod) between a +10 nC rod and a -10 nC rod (in the middle in the vertical direction). I found that positions 1 and 3 were the same, which was whatki I expected, but I thought it was weird that the field in the very center (the rods are 4 cm apart), so at 2 cm from the positively charged rod, the field was LESS than in the other two positions. This seemed counterintuitive. Did I make a mistake?



Homework Equations



Erod=1/(4pi\epsilon0))*\left|Q\right|/(d*(d2+(L/2)1/2)




The Attempt at a Solution

 
Last edited:
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(Epsilon shouldn't be an exponent)
 
I'm having trouble putting the correct formula in on my smartphone, so I just mean the standard formula for electricnfield between two charged rods. Can someone please answer?
 

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