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-   -   Charges question (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=559587)

  • Mar 4, 2011, 08:47 AM
    susus
    charges question
    Two charges, Q1= 3.60 μC, and Q2= 6.40 μC are located at points (0,-3.00 cm ) and (0,+3.00 cm), as shown in the figure.
    What is the magnitude of the electric field at point P, located at (4.50 cm, 0), due to Q1 alone?
    so I got 1.11×107 N/C which is right

    now ,
    What is the x-component of the total electric field at P?
    here what I did
    E2= KQ2/(L^2)
    and then :
    cos alpha = x2/l
    alpha = 56.309
    then Epx = (E1x)*sin alpha +(E2x)*sin alpha

    my final answer was 9.2335*10^-6 N/C
    but it did not work out with me :(

  • Mar 4, 2011, 09:21 AM
    ebaines

    The x component of the electric field due to charge Q1 is indeed 9.22 x 10^6 N/C. But you need to add the component due to charge Q2. You should be using an equation like this:

  • Mar 4, 2011, 10:48 AM
    susus
    Comment on ebaines's post
    OK , but, what is (alpha1, and what is alpha2)
    Thanks :)
  • Mar 4, 2011, 12:06 PM
    ebaines

    Aplha1 and alpha2 are the angles at point P between the horizontal and the charges Q1 and Q2 respectively. It's arccos(3.5/d), or about 33.7 degrees.

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