- #1
Electrostatic force and magnitude problem
- Thread starter loganblacke
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SUMMARY
The discussion centers on calculating the magnitude of charge Qo in an electrostatic force problem involving charge Q1, which is +4.99 nC. The net electrostatic force on Q1 is stated to be zero, leading to the equation Qo = (r0/r1)^2 * abs(q)*2cos θ. Participants emphasize the importance of treating forces as vectors and determining their directions based on the positions of the charges involved.
PREREQUISITES- Understanding of electrostatic forces and Coulomb's law
- Familiarity with vector addition in physics
- Knowledge of trigonometric functions, specifically cosine
- Basic concepts of charge interactions and magnitudes
- Study the principles of vector addition in electrostatics
- Learn how to apply Coulomb's law to multiple charge systems
- Explore the concept of electric field and potential
- Investigate the role of angles in force calculations using trigonometry
Students in physics courses, particularly those studying electrostatics, as well as educators and tutors looking for problem-solving strategies in electrostatic force calculations.
- #2
tiny-tim
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hi loganblacke! 
(have a theta: θ and try using the X2 icon just above the Reply box
)
forces are vectors, so you have to add them as vectors
(have a theta: θ and try using the X2 icon just above the Reply box
)forces are vectors, so you have to add them as vectors
start by writing out the three forces as three vectors
- #3
loganblacke
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How do i determine the direction of the vectors?
- #4
tiny-tim
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each vector will point along the line between the two charges
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