The discussion revolves around applying Coulomb's Law in a problem involving electric fields and vector components. Participants are trying to understand the constants associated with trigonometric functions in the context of resolving electric fields due to point charges.
The discussion is active, with participants providing insights and clarifications regarding the electric field components. Some have identified where the constants originate, while others are still questioning the presence of sign errors in the trigonometric components. There is a recognition of the positive direction of certain vectors.
Participants are working under the constraints of a homework assignment, which may limit the information available for discussion. The problem involves resolving electric fields into unit vector components, and there is an ongoing examination of assumptions regarding distances and charge magnitudes.
PurelyPhysical said:I can follow most of this problem, but I am unsure where the constants in front of the trig functions are coming from. Why is it 2cos(135), 1cos(45), 2cos(-45), etc?
drvrm said:pl. write down the electric field due to charges placed at those points on an unit positive charge placed at the coordinate under consideration, you will need the the distance square in the denominator and the field has been resolved in unit vector i and j directions...the factor 2 and i are coming due to those distances...
e.g. take the charge at a... it is distant sqrt(2)/2 ; take square then it will be 1/2 in the denominator so a factor of 2 in the numerator-resolve the field intensity in i and j direction along x and y respectively.
similarly check other ones.
drvrm said:check the full expression!
There are not two distances. Factors 1 and 2 are the charges. The factors for the displacements are 2 (1/r2), the unit vectors ##\hat i## and ##\hat j## and the trig components, sin and cos..PurelyPhysical said:Why are there two distances 2 and 1?