Electric Field Strength at Center of Triangle

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SUMMARY

The electric field strength at the center of an equilateral triangle formed by three positive charges (A: 3 × 10-6 C, B: 2 × 10-6 C, C: 3 × 10-6 C) with a side length of 0.2 meters can be calculated using the formula E = (1/4∏ε) Σ(qj * r0j / r0j2). The main issue identified in the discussion was a geometric error in determining the triangle's center, which led to incorrect calculations of the electric field. Once the correct center was established, the calculations aligned with expected results.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electric field concepts and Coulomb's law
  • Familiarity with geometric properties of equilateral triangles
  • Proficiency in using the Pythagorean theorem for distance calculations
  • Basic knowledge of vector addition for electric field components
NEXT STEPS
  • Review the derivation and application of Coulomb's law in electrostatics
  • Study the geometric properties of equilateral triangles and their centroids
  • Learn about vector addition in physics, particularly in electric fields
  • Practice solving problems involving multiple point charges and electric fields
USEFUL FOR

Students studying electrostatics, physics educators, and anyone interested in understanding electric fields generated by point charges in geometric configurations.

rbrayana123
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Homework Statement



Three positive charges, A, B and C, of 3 × 10-6, 2 × 10-6, and 3 × 10-6 Coulombs respectively, are located at the corners of an equilateral triangle of side 0.2 meters.

Find the magnitude in Newtons/Coulomb of the electric field at the center of the triangle.

Homework Equations



E = [itex]\frac{1}{4∏ε}[/itex] Ʃqjroj/roj2

The Attempt at a Solution



I'm not quite sure what I'm doing wrong but I feel like it's something simple (and perhaps geometric). My triangle has a base on the x-axis and it's origin is at the center of the base. My basic approach is to find the center of the triangle.

Then, I compute the distance from each point charge to the center via Pythagorean.

Once I have that, I compute the electric field strength for each particle. Then, I take the x and y components and add them.

I've tried different centers for the triangle but I'm always off by a factor of 10.
 
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Hey, just wanted to say that I figured it out. As I suspected, it was a geometric mistake when calculating the center of the triangle. Looks like I need to go over some middle school math =/
 

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