Can Homework Help Calculate the Electric Field from Two Point Charges?

Thread starter deGallo
Start date Jul 17, 2023
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Electric field homework help Introductory

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Electric fields are vector quantities, meaning they have both magnitude and direction. When calculating the electric field from two point charges, it's crucial to consider the signs and magnitudes of the charges involved. For example, with charges of q1=9μC and q2=-1μC, a naive calculation might incorrectly suggest that the electric field is zero. This highlights the importance of vector addition in determining the resultant electric field. Understanding these principles is essential for accurate calculations in electrostatics.

Jul 17, 2023

deGallo

Homework Statement: I am having trouble solving this question related to electric field.

Relevant Equations: I used k(q1/a^2 +q2/b^2) a=4.24 b=4 q1=1.6e-6 q2=2.4e-6
The answer I got is 2149 N/C (wrong)

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Jul 17, 2023

TSny

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Hint: Electric field is a vector quantity.

Jul 17, 2023

haruspex

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To illustrate @TSny's point, if the charges had been ##q_1=9\mu C, q_2=-1\mu C##, your calculation would have said the field is zero.

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