Expression of Electric Field with known charges

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves two charges, Q1 and Q2, with known coordinates and a force acting on Q1 due to Q2. The tasks include finding the value of Q2 and determining the electric field at the location of Q2.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to use Coulomb's Law to find Q2 and expresses uncertainty about calculating the electric field at Q2's location, questioning what value to use for |q|.
  • Some participants suggest seeking clarification on whether the electric field should consider both charges or just Q1, indicating a lack of clarity in the problem statement.
  • There is discussion about whether to include Q2 in the electric field calculation and how to properly express the electric field as a vector.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different interpretations of the problem and questioning the assumptions regarding the calculation of the electric field. Some guidance has been offered regarding the vector nature of the electric field and the need for clarification on the problem requirements.

Contextual Notes

Participants note potential ambiguity in the problem, particularly concerning whether to include Q2 in the electric field calculation and the implications of the question's phrasing.

Alexstre
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Homework Statement



I have 2 charges:
Q1 = 300 uC located at (1, -1, -3) m
Q2 = ?? uC located at (3, -3, -2) m

Q1 feels a force from Q2 of F1=(8i - 8j + 4k) N

1. Find Q2
2. Find the expression of the E-Field at (3, -3, -2) m (at Q2)

Homework Equations


F=(k|Q1*Q2|) / r^2
E=(k|q|) / r^2

The Attempt at a Solution


For the first part I've used the magnitudes:
Q1 = (1, -1, -3) m = [tex]\sqrt{1^2 + -1^2 + -3^2}[/tex]
F1 = (8i - 8j + 4k = 4 N

I found the distance between Q1 and Q2 using pythagorean formula: 3 meters.
Then I solved for Q2 using Coulomb's Law:
Q2 = 13.3 uC

For the second part, I know that since they ask for the expression of the electric field at the location of Q2, Q2 will not contribute to the value. Beside that, I'm a bit lost.

Do I need to use the distance between Q1 and Q2, then solve for E=k|q| / r^2? What's |q| in this case?

Thanks!
 
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The E-field by both charges is not definite at the positions of the charges. I think if the question is given by your teacher, you should seek clarification from him whether he asks for the E-field by both or the E-field contributed by only Q1 (if the latter, ignore Q2 as you only count Q1 in the E-field by Q1). Otherwise, you should ignore the question, as it doesn't have an appropriate answer.
 
hikaru1221 said:
The E-field by both charges is not definite at the positions of the charges. I think if the question is given by your teacher, you should seek clarification from him whether he asks for the E-field by both or the E-field contributed by only Q1 (if the latter, ignore Q2 as you only count Q1 in the E-field by Q1). Otherwise, you should ignore the question, as it doesn't have an appropriate answer.

I'm assuming it's the latter; that I can ignore Q2 and only count Q1. I'm still not sure how to do it though. Is |q| in E=k|q| / r^2 simply the value of Q1?

Thanks!
 
Do you have to count something else besides Q1 when calculating something created by only Q1? :wink:

EDIT: By the way, the question asks for the E-field which is a vector, not just its magnitude. You may find this formula helpful [tex]\vec{E}=k\frac{q}{r^3}\vec{r}[/tex]
 

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