How Close Will Two High-Speed Charged Particles Get?

[Bradsteeves]

Homework Statement

Two particles, separated by an enormous distance, approach each other. Each has an initial speed of 3.0 X 10^6 m/s. Calculate their minimum separation, assuming no deflection from their original path. The mass of a particle is 6.6 X 10^-27 kg.

Particle charge = 3.2 X 10^-19 C

Given:
V = 3.0 X 10^6m/s
mass of particle = 6.6 X 10^-27 kg
r = ?

Homework Equations

E = Eprime
Fe = kq1q2/r^2

The Attempt at a Solution

EE + EK = EEprime + EKprime
Kq1q2/r + 1/2 mv^2 = Kq1q2/r + 1/2m(vprime)^2

Dont know where to go from there

 

[alphysicist]

How does the phrase "separated by an enormous distance" affect a term in the energy equation?

When you plug in numbers to your equation, what do you get? (I noticed you combined the kinetic energy of both particles into one term on each side, so you'll have to adjust the mass to deal with that.)