The discussion revolves around understanding the effects of multiple charges within an electrical field, specifically focusing on how to calculate the resultant electric field at a point due to five charges. The original poster expresses confusion regarding the complexity of the problem, which is the last question on their paper.
Participants are actively engaging with the problem, offering insights into the calculation of electric fields and discussing the implications of charge arrangements. There is a recognition of the need to clarify the direction of the electric field and the significance of charge types, with some guidance provided on how to approach the problem conceptually.
There is a mention of a diagram that contains relevant information for the problem, but specific details about the configuration of the charges are not provided in the discussion. The original poster indicates that this question is more complex than previous ones, suggesting a potential gap in foundational understanding.
voko said:What is the direction of j? Of the field?
Good. That's the magnitude of the field, so be sure to count the direction.xma123 said:So due to each charge the field is E=kq/r2
Yes, the 4 in the middle cancel. But I don't know what you mean by "either positive or negative". Which is it? What's the direction of the field from the top charge?The 4 in the middle cancel, giving a field of either positive or negative of the single field charge above.
xma123 said:the top charge would act in the upwards of y
voko said:Why is that?
xma123 said:they're positive charges, so the field acts downwards away from the top charge
voko said:Correct!