# Electric field strength

1. Dec 27, 2004

### joej

What is the electric field strength at a point in space where a proton experiences an acceleration of 1 million "g"?

I'm completely lost on this one I know it's bound to be something simple but I just can't figure out where to start with it, well other than that 1 million "g" should be 9.8x10^6 m/s^2

I'm also not quite sure, but I'm guessing this will have something to do with gravitational fields.

2. Dec 27, 2004

### Staff: Mentor

The question seems to infer that the proton is accelerated by the electric field.

Think about the relationship of Force to the electric field strength and as a function of mass and acceleration.

$$\vec{F} = m\vec{a} = q\vec{E}$$

3. Dec 27, 2004

### joej

okay, so I get...

ma = (1.64x10^-21)/(1.6x10^-19) = 0.01N/C

would that be right?

4. Dec 27, 2004

### dextercioby

U missed one order of size:
$$|\vec{E}|=\frac{m_{proton}|\vec{a}|}{q_{proton}}$$
$$|\vec{E}|=\frac{1.67\cdot 10^{-27}Kg\cdot 9.8\cdot 10^{6} ms^{-2}}{1.6\cdot 10^{-19}C}\sim 0,1N/C$$

Daniel.

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