Electrical fields between two objects

[cougarsoccer]

Homework Statement

Two charges are 1m apart, the first charge is -2.5microC and the second on is 6 microC, determine the point(other than infinity) at which the electric field is zero.

Homework Equations

E=(1/4PI(8.854*10^(-12)))*(q/r^2)

The Attempt at a Solution

ok maybe i am just really overthinking the problem at hand. but for my first attempt, i simply let E=0 and set it equal to the rest of the equation(with r=1) the thing is, i do not know how to find the point. (i'm assuming i am solving for q but i don't think that is right) I just do not know how to solve for the point

 

[turin]

You started off well enough. You are not solving for q; both of those are given. You are solving for something like r, except that is given, too, so that's probably what's confusing you. You have to put these charges in a coordinate system, and then give it some thought. Try to use symmetry to make this problem as simple as possible. Hint: if a point in space is 0.2 m from $-2.5~\mu{}C$, then how far away is it from $+6.0~\mu{}C$?

 

[thomate1]

at which the electric field is zero.

I would approach this problem by first understanding the concept of electric fields and how they are affected by charges and distance. In this case, we have two charges, one positive and one negative, located 1m apart. The electric field is a force field that is created by these charges and can be calculated using the equation E=(1/4PI(8.854*10^(-12)))*(q/r^2), where q is the charge and r is the distance between the two charges.

To determine the point at which the electric field is zero, we need to find the location where the two charges cancel each other out. This can be achieved by setting the electric field equation equal to zero and solving for the distance (r). However, since we are given the distance (1m), we can rearrange the equation to solve for the charge (q). This will give us the magnitude of the charge needed to create a zero electric field at a distance of 1m.

Therefore, the point at which the electric field is zero is not a physical point in space, but the location where the two charges are perfectly balanced, resulting in a net electric field of zero. It is important to note that this calculation assumes point charges and does not take into account the size or distribution of the charges. In a real-world scenario, the electric field may not be exactly zero at this point due to factors such as the size and shape of the charges.

In conclusion, as a scientist, I would approach this problem by understanding the concept of electric fields and using mathematical equations to determine the point at which the electric field is zero. However, it is important to keep in mind that this is an idealized scenario and may not accurately represent a real-world situation.