Coulomb's law and drawing vectors

In summary, the conversation discusses three charges on the x-axis and their effect on Charge B. The charges are A (3 micro C), B (-4 micro C), and C (5 micro C). The conversation mentions Coulomb's law and drawing force vectors for A to B and C to B. The person is asking for clarification and guidance on how to draw the diagram and solve the problem. They ask for a website with step-by-step instructions.
  • #1
spastic3
3
0

Homework Statement


Three charges are on the x~axis about five cm apart. Charge A is three micro C, charge B is negative four micro C, and charge C is five micro C. What is the effect on B?

Homework Equations


I have no idea how to solve this or the formula involved.


The Attempt at a Solution



Completely clueless, just would like to know how to solve it.
 
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  • #2
Coulomb's law. Draw the force vectors calculated for both [tex]F_{a->b}[/tex] and [tex]F_{c->b}[/tex].

[tex]F_{e}=\frac{Kq_{1}q_{2}}{r^{2}}[/tex]
 
  • #3
sorry I'm lost, i have no idea how to implement that. what are force vectors?
 
  • #4
Its ok. Did you draw a diagram? Start by drawing a diagram. I am assuming that A is on the left of B and B is on the left of C, right?

Does A exert a force to the left or the right on B?

How about C, does it exert a force to the left or the right on B?
 
  • #5
Hint: think opposites attract.. Which of the charges are positively charged? Which are negatively charged?
 
  • #6
how do you draw the diagram? I'm completely confused, you're talking to me in riddles. do you know of a website that shows step by step how to work these type of problems?
 

FAQ: Coulomb's law and drawing vectors

What is Coulomb's law?

Coulomb's law is a fundamental law of physics that describes the force between two electrically charged particles. It states that the force between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

How do we draw vectors in relation to Coulomb's law?

In order to represent the force between two charged particles, we can use a vector to show the direction and magnitude of the force. The direction of the vector will be in the direction of the force, and the length of the vector will be proportional to the magnitude of the force.

Can Coulomb's law be applied to point charges only?

No, Coulomb's law can be applied to any two charged objects, regardless of their size or shape. However, it is more accurate for point charges, which are objects with negligible size compared to the distance between them.

How does the distance between two charged particles affect the force between them?

According to Coulomb's law, as the distance between two charged particles increases, the force between them decreases. This is because the force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the particles. So, the farther apart they are, the weaker the force between them.

Are there any other factors that can affect the force between two charged particles?

Yes, in addition to the distance between the particles, the magnitude of the charges and the medium between them can also affect the force. For example, if the particles are in a medium with a high dielectric constant, the force between them will be weaker compared to if they were in a medium with a lower dielectric constant.

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