Electric field involving 4 point charges in a rectangle

In summary, the image attached shows a mathematical equation involving the variables c, a, and b. The question asks about the limit of the equation as c approaches 0. The result should be 0, but the image appears to contradict this. The poster is seeking clarification or guidance on this issue.
  • #1
dcarmichael
17
2
Homework Statement
Consider 4 identical charges q arranged in a rectangle in the x-y plane. The rectangle has dimensions a x b.

Determine the electric field in the center of the rectangle.

Determine the electric field a distance c above the center of the rectangle.

Make sure you check your answer by looking at the limit as c goes to infinity and zero, and check the units of your final expression.
Relevant Equations
E=(Kq/r^2)*
I am stuck on the following question (Image attached of my work) appears to make sense until i try to take a limit as c--->0 because the result should be 0. Am i missing something, if so can't you point me in the right direction.
Thank you
 

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  • #2
The image is hard to follow, but it appears to say something like:

$$\frac1{4\pi\varepsilon_0}\times \frac{4q}{c^2 + a^2/4 + b^2/4}\times \cos\theta$$
I presume ##\theta## is the angle to the vertical made by the ray from the point to a corner of the rectangle.

As ##c\to \infty## we have ##\cos\theta\to 1## and the second factor in the above formula goes to zero. So the whole thing goes to zero, as expected.
 

What is an electric field?

An electric field is a physical quantity that describes the strength and direction of the force that a charged particle experiences in the presence of other charged particles.

How are electric fields calculated for point charges?

For point charges, the electric field is calculated using Coulomb's Law, which states that the magnitude of the electric field is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

What is a rectangle in relation to electric fields?

In the context of electric fields, a rectangle refers to the arrangement of four point charges in a rectangular shape. This configuration is often used to illustrate the concept of electric fields and their interactions.

How do I calculate the electric field involving 4 point charges in a rectangle?

To calculate the electric field at a specific point in a rectangle involving four point charges, you can use the principle of superposition, which states that the total electric field is the vector sum of the individual electric fields from each point charge.

What are some real-world applications of electric fields involving 4 point charges in a rectangle?

Electric fields involving four point charges in a rectangle are commonly used in electronics, such as in the design of circuit boards and microchips. They are also important in understanding the behavior of charged particles in particle accelerators and other high-energy physics experiments.

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