Electrostatic Force: -0.7nC Charge at Origin

In summary: But in this case, it would be easier to use a vector triangle:1. find the components of the two forces (they will be along the x and y axes, and you already have them)2. draw a vector triangle with one side along the x axis and the other along the y axis, and the two components as the other two sides3. the third side of the triangle is the sum of the two forces, and its direction is the direction of the sum of the two forces.That's it! I hope that makes sense. In summary, using the equation F=k(Q/r^2), the force between the origin and each of the charges along the y-axis is 2.960604706e-9
  • #1
peaceandlove
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Homework Statement


A -0.7nC charge is located at the origin, while a 1.9nC charge is located 3.9 m away along the x-axis and a 0.8nC charge is located -1.7m away along the y-axis. The Coulomb constant is 8.98755*10^9 Nm^2/C^2. Find the magnitude of the electrostatic force on the charge at the origin. Answer in units of nN.
What is the angle between the electrostatic force on the charge at the origin and the positive x-direction? Answer in degrees as an angle between -180 and 180 measured from the positive x-axis, with counterclockwise positive. Answer in units of degrees.

Homework Equations


F=k(Q/r^2)


The Attempt at a Solution


I used the equation F=k(Q/r^2) to find the force of the charge between the origin and each of the charges. For the force along the y-axis, I got 2.960604706e-9 and -3.064984998 along the x-axis. However, I'm not sure where to go from there.
 
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  • #2
Hi peaceandlove! :smile:

(try using the X2 tag just above the Reply box :wink:)
peaceandlove said:
I used the equation F=k(Q/r^2) to find the force of the charge between the origin and each of the charges. For the force along the y-axis, I got 2.960604706e-9 and -3.064984998 along the x-axis. However, I'm not sure where to go from there.

You have two forces, so now all you have to do is add them.

Forces are vectors, so you use the vector law of addition …

in other words, you can add them by using a vector triangle, or you can just add the components (same result) …

since the two forces in this case are perpendicular, either method should be extremely easy. :wink:
 
  • #3
What do you mean by add the component?
 
  • #4
peaceandlove said:
What do you mean by add the component?

(just got up … :zzz:)

If F has components Fx and Fy, and G has components Gx and Gy, then vector addition means you add the components:

if H = F + G, then H has components Fx + Gx and Fy + Gy :smile:
 

1. What is electrostatic force?

Electrostatic force is a fundamental force of nature that describes the attraction or repulsion between electrically charged particles.

2. What is the unit of electrostatic force?

The unit of electrostatic force is the Newton (N), which is a unit of force in the International System of Units (SI).

3. How is electrostatic force calculated?

Electrostatic force is calculated using Coulomb's Law, which states that the force between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Mathematically, it is represented as F = k * (q1 * q2)/r^2, where F is the force, k is the proportionality constant, q1 and q2 are the charges of the two particles, and r is the distance between them.

4. What is the significance of a -0.7nC charge at the origin?

A -0.7nC charge at the origin means that there is a negative charge of 0.7 nanocoulombs located at the point of origin in a coordinate system. This charge will experience an electrostatic force when interacting with other charged particles in its vicinity.

5. How does distance affect the electrostatic force between two charged particles?

According to Coulomb's Law, the electrostatic force between two charged particles is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that as the distance between the particles increases, the force of repulsion or attraction between them decreases.

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