Electric Field and Electric Potential

[stonecoldgen]

Homework Statement

Find the strength of the electric field midway between two point charges, q₁=5.78nC and q₂=-5.78nC separated by 68cm.

Homework Equations

Kq₁q₂/r²=F

\epsilon=F/q

The Attempt at a Solution

I just tried the problem as a two step equation but it's giving me a huge answer. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

 

[Dick]

Homework Statement

Find the strength of the electric field midway between two point charges, q₁=5.78nC and q₂=-5.78nC separated by 68cm.

Homework Equations

Kq₁q₂/r²=F

\epsilon=F/q

The Attempt at a Solution

I just tried the problem as a two step equation but it's giving me a huge answer. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

Now how could anyone tell you what you are doing wrong if you don't show your work?

 

[stonecoldgen]

I plugged the numbers on the first equation, which gave me the force.

Then plugged force into the second equation and divided by q, but it's giving me a huge huge number.

 

[SpecialKM]

Did you convert the 68cm to m?

 

[Dick]

I plugged the numbers on the first equation, which gave me the force.

Then plugged force into the second equation and divided by q, but it's giving me a huge huge number.

The magnitude of the electric field due to a charge q is E=Kq/r^2. Remember it also has a direction you need to find. I don't know how you could find a force. What value are you using for the charge at the midpoint? And I'll say this once more, "huge huge number" doesn't mean anything informative. Show your numbers. What you put in, what formulas you put it into and what you got.