Electrostatics problem, kinda confusing

AI Thread Summary
To analyze the electric field created by two charges, -q at x=-a and +q at x=+a, a reasonable plotting range is suggested to be between +/- 5 or 10 times 'a'. The electric field can be calculated using Coulomb's Law, but it is important to note that the field becomes infinite at the positions of the charges themselves. This poses a challenge when using a spreadsheet for plotting, as it may not handle infinite values well. Understanding the behavior of electric fields, especially near point charges, is crucial for solving this problem effectively. The discussion emphasizes the importance of selecting an appropriate range and recognizing the limitations of computational tools in this context.
djlightsout06
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Two charges, one -q and one +q are located at x=-a and x=+a, respectively. Use a spreadsheet to plot the electric field along the x asix. Part of this problem is choosing a reasonable range for the plot.

How do I go about doing this?
 
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How about a range of about +/- 5 or 10 a's?
 
what about the rest of the problem. I'm having a lot of problems grasping the concept of E-fields and stuff.
 
For the rest of the problem simply apply Coulomb's Law to calculate the electric field produced by the two charges. Your difficulty will be that at the locations of the two charges the field will be infinite and your spreadsheet will not like that!
 

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