Forces in Equilibirum? Star Wars forces?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on understanding the forces between three charges in equilibrium, specifically addressing a question about how one charge can exert a force on another despite the presence of a middle charge. It clarifies that all charges exert forces on each other regardless of other charges in the vicinity, as described in the relevant physics principles. The middle charge does not block the interaction; instead, each pair of charges interacts independently, whether they attract or repel. This principle is analogous to gravitational forces among masses, such as stars and planets, where each mass influences the others regardless of intervening objects. The solution to the problem involves summing the forces exerted by the middle charge on the left and right charges, which can be simplified due to the specific angle of 45 degrees in this case.
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Forces in Equilibirum? Star Wars forces?

Homework Statement



http://iweb.tntech.edu/murdock/books/v4chap1.pdf

Go to question 11 where you see three charges hanging.

The solution is something i don't understand.

The forces between the middle and left or right are the same. But the solution also set sum of the force exerted by the middle charge on the left and right on left together to equal to the horizontal force (I think they made a trig mistake, but it worked out fine in this case since \theta = 45 degrees).

My question is, how does the right exert a force all the way to the left? This is like Star Wars Forces...

How does it even interact with it?
 
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flyingpig said:
My question is, how does the right exert a force all the way to the left? This is like Star Wars Forces...

How does it even interact with it?
They both have a charge, therefore they exert a force on each other. See section 1.1.3 and Equation 1.3.
 


Redbelly98 said:
They both have a charge, therefore they exert a force on each other. See section 1.1.3 and Equation 1.3.

But there is a middle charge that's "blocking"
 


No, charge in the middle doesn't block anything. Whenever you have two charges they either attract or repel each other, no matter what other charges are present around. Thus to solve any question you have to take care of forces between each pair of charges.

Same happens when you have a set of masses (stars, planets) and gravitational forces.
 

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