Electric field midway between an electron and proton. Help

In summary, the question asks for the electric field at the midpoint between an electron and a proton separated by 0.8 nm. Using the formula E=kQ/r^2, the electric field for both charges is calculated and added together to get the total electric field at the midpoint. The correct value for r is 0.4 nm instead of 0.8 nm. The resulting units for the electric field will be N/C.
  • #1
astru025
163
0

Homework Statement



What is the electric field midway between an electron and a proton separated by 0.8 nm?


Homework Equations


E=kQ / r^2 . 9E9 x 1.6 E-19 / .(.8E-9)^2


The Attempt at a Solution


Any help would be nice!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Calculate the electric field at that point between them with the formula you wrote for both the proton and the electron. Then add these and you get the total electric field at that point.
 
  • #3
Thank you. So I take 9E9 x 1.6E-19 / (.8E-9)^2 = 2.25E9 and then times this by 2? Please let me know if this looks right! Thanks
 
  • #4
Yeah, that should do, because the electric fields add up, when between a negative and a positive charge. You can show this by drawing the field lines from each charge.
 
  • #5
So I get 4.5E9 which still proves to be incorrect. My answer needs to be in N/C but this answer is in N/C correct?
 
  • #6
Oh right, you are putting r=0.8, but you need to find the electric field midway between them (r=0.4).
Regarding the units, you should figure that out on your own by putting the correct units for each term in the equation, but yes you will get the correct units.
 

1. What is an electric field?

An electric field is a physical quantity that describes the influence of electric charges on each other. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.

2. What is the magnitude of the electric field midway between an electron and proton?

The magnitude of the electric field midway between an electron and proton is given by the equation E = kq/r^2, where k is the Coulomb's constant, q is the magnitude of the charge, and r is the distance between the two charges. Since the charges of an electron and proton are equal in magnitude, the electric field midway between them will be equal to zero.

3. Why is the electric field zero at the midpoint between an electron and proton?

This is because the electric field is a vector quantity and the fields created by the electron and proton point in opposite directions. At the midpoint, these fields cancel each other out, resulting in a net electric field of zero.

4. Can the electric field midway between an electron and proton ever be non-zero?

No, the electric field midway between an electron and proton will always be zero. This is because the charges are stationary and not moving, so there are no changing electric or magnetic fields that could create a non-zero field.

5. What is the direction of the electric field midway between an electron and proton?

The direction of the electric field is always from positive to negative charges. In the case of an electron and proton, the direction of the electric field at the midpoint will point from the proton towards the electron.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
12
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
801
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
32
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
694
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
15
Views
5K
Back
Top