In: Physics
2) Two charged spheres separated by 2m are suspended vertically from a horizontal beam by insulating strings. The spheres have the same mass 4kg. The charges on the spheres are 2 ?C and -3 ?C.
(a) Calculate the electric force between the charges. Give both magnitude and direction.
(b) Determine the electric potential (Volts) at a point midway between the charges.
(c) What direction are the electric field lines for each charge?
To resolve this problem wa have to know about coulomb's law, Electric potential and Electric field
Step 1: Definition
Coulomb's law: Describing the electrostatic interaction between electrically charged particles.
The magnitude of the electrostatic force of interaction between two point charges is directly proportional to the scalar multiplication of the magnitudes of charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
The force is along the straight line joining them. If the two charges have the same sign, the electrostatic force between them is repulsive; if they have different sign, the force between them is attractive.
Electric potential: is the amount of electric potential energy that a unitary point electric charge would have if located at any point of space, and is equal to the [work done] by an external agent in carrying a unit positive charge from infinity to that point.
The electric potential created by a point charge Q, at a distance r from the charge (relative to the potential at infinity), can be shown to be
The electric potential due to a system of point charges is equal to the sum of the point charges' individual potentials.
Electric field: Is a component of the electromagnetic field. It is a vector field, and it is generated by electric charges or time-varying magnetic fields
Step 2: ANSWERS:
a.- Calculate the electric force between the charges. Give both magnitude and direction.
how the charges have different sign the force is of atracction y the direction of the force is from q2 to q1
The force between q2 to q1 have the same magnitude but the direccion of force is opposite at direction of F12
b.- Determine the electric potential (Volts) at a point midway between the charges
The point midway is 1m
The potential in the midway ponit is
c.- What direction are the electric field lines for each charge?
The direction of the electric field lines for the positive charge is out of the charge
The direction of the electric field lines for the negative charge, is inward of the charge
If you have any question please let me know in the comments