What is the Net Force on Charges in a Square?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around determining the net force on charges arranged in a square configuration, with reference to Coulomb's law and electric fields. The original poster expresses uncertainty regarding their choice of answer based on the provided options.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the reasoning behind the original poster's choice of answer E, questioning the plausibility of other options. There is an interest in understanding the vector sums involved in the forces acting on the charges without specific numerical values.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants engaging in clarifying the reasoning behind the original poster's choice and exploring alternative interpretations. Some guidance has been offered regarding the need for a quantitative understanding of the forces involved.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of a screenshot that includes answer choices, but the original poster notes that one option, which states there is no net force, is not visible. This raises questions about the completeness of the information provided.

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Homework Statement



https://img.skitch.com/20120425-x1ekh2xqk9j61xqk83uyspaf75.jpg

Homework Equations



F=Kq1q2/r^2
E=kQ/r^2

The Attempt at a Solution



Answer choice E is not listed in screenshot, but states that there is no Net force on the Charge. I picked E, but I'm second-guessing myself.
 
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What made you choose E? Are there other options that seem plausible to you which make you second guess yourself?
 
Well, I guess I was hoping for a more quantitative way of understanding the vector sums in this equation, without having supplied values.
 
Ultimately I just plugged in some variables and my answer held up.
 

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