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[SOLVED] electric field
Two particles are fixed to an x axis: particle 1 of charge q1 = 1.61 x 10-8 C at x = 29.2 cm and particle 2 of charge q2 = -5.53q1 at x = 61.0 cm. At what coordinate on the x axis is the electric field produced by the particles equal to zero?
E=k(q/d^3)
I am confused as to where to begin with this one. I have seen it posted on the web using different values, but the solutions I've seen make no sense to me. I personally would approach it completely unscientifically and just start plugging in values of x to make the electric field zero, but I know that there is a mathematical way to attack, I just don't what it is. As a small request, I am a biological science person, and do well with chemistry, but math and physics is so beyond me, that if your explanation is even remotely to technical for me, I may not understand. Bottom line, if you can explain how to start the problem in a way that a complete fool can understand, I might get it. Thanks in advance!!!
Homework Statement
Two particles are fixed to an x axis: particle 1 of charge q1 = 1.61 x 10-8 C at x = 29.2 cm and particle 2 of charge q2 = -5.53q1 at x = 61.0 cm. At what coordinate on the x axis is the electric field produced by the particles equal to zero?
Homework Equations
E=k(q/d^3)
The Attempt at a Solution
I am confused as to where to begin with this one. I have seen it posted on the web using different values, but the solutions I've seen make no sense to me. I personally would approach it completely unscientifically and just start plugging in values of x to make the electric field zero, but I know that there is a mathematical way to attack, I just don't what it is. As a small request, I am a biological science person, and do well with chemistry, but math and physics is so beyond me, that if your explanation is even remotely to technical for me, I may not understand. Bottom line, if you can explain how to start the problem in a way that a complete fool can understand, I might get it. Thanks in advance!!!