What is the Initial Acceleration of a Charged Particle in an Electric Field?

[the_d]

im stuck on this question if any1 could help i'd appreciate it. A particle of mass 30 g and charge 26 uC is released ffrom rest when it is 59 cm from a second particle of charge -11 uC. The question ask for the initial acceleration of the 30 g particle.

 

[Smilecdl]

To start with...

Try working out the forces being exerted by the particles.

 

[Doc Al]

What force acts on the particle? (Hint: Consider Coulomb's law)

 

[the_d]

so i work out the forces using coulombs law, but then how do u find acceleration in m/s?

 

[Doc Al]

Use Newton's 2nd law. (Acceleration has units of m/s^2, not m/s.)

 

[the_d]

heres what i got can u tell me if its on the right track

F = k (Q1) (Q2) / r^2

F = (9.0 x 10^9) (26uC) (-11uC) / (0.59m)^2


= -7.39 x 10^13 N

 

[Doc Al]

Realize that \mu \mbox{C} means micro-Coulombs: 1 \mu \mbox{C} = 10^{-6} \mbox{C}.

 

[the_d]

when dividing by the mass do i have to change grams to kg?

 

[Smilecdl]

Think of the units that make up a Newton and make sure you use the same

 

[the_d]

thank u guys for ur help