1. The document describes Coulomb's law for calculating the electrostatic force between two point charges.
2. It explains that the net electric force on a charge from two or more other charges is calculated as the vector sum of the individual forces.
3. An example problem demonstrates using superposition to calculate the magnitude and direction of the net force on a point charge from three other charges positioned at the corners of a square. The net force is calculated by summing the x and y components of each individual force.
1. The document describes Coulomb's law for calculating the electrostatic force between two point charges.
2. It explains that the net electric force on a charge from two or more other charges is calculated as the vector sum of the individual forces.
3. An example problem demonstrates using superposition to calculate the magnitude and direction of the net force on a point charge from three other charges positioned at the corners of a square. The net force is calculated by summing the x and y components of each individual force.
1. The document describes Coulomb's law for calculating the electrostatic force between two point charges.
2. It explains that the net electric force on a charge from two or more other charges is calculated as the vector sum of the individual forces.
3. An example problem demonstrates using superposition to calculate the magnitude and direction of the net force on a point charge from three other charges positioned at the corners of a square. The net force is calculated by summing the x and y components of each individual force.
1. The document describes Coulomb's law for calculating the electrostatic force between two point charges.
2. It explains that the net electric force on a charge from two or more other charges is calculated as the vector sum of the individual forces.
3. An example problem demonstrates using superposition to calculate the magnitude and direction of the net force on a point charge from three other charges positioned at the corners of a square. The net force is calculated by summing the x and y components of each individual force.
Coulomb’s law for the magnitude of the electrostatic force
between two point charges
q1 q2 F k 2 , (19 5) r with k 8.99 109 N .m 2 / C 2
SI unit: newton, N Figure 19-7 Forces Between Point Charges Superposition
The electric force, like all forces, is a
vector. Hence, a charge experiences forces due to two or more charges is the vector sum of all the forces.
For examples, in Fig. 19-8, the total force
on charge 1 is the vector sum of the forces due to charges 2, 3 ,4 Vector sum/ Net force:
F1 F 12 F 13 F 14
Figure 19-8 Superposition of Forces Example 19-21: Superposition (a) Find the direction and magnitude of the net force exerted on the point charge q3 in the figure. Let q= +2.4 uC and d= 33cm. (b) How would your answer change if the distance d were double?
Picture the problem
Solution 1. (a) Find
k q2 q3 k 2.0q 3.0q 6.0kq 2
F2 2 xˆ 2 xˆ 2 xˆ d d d 2. Find F4
k q3 q4 k 3.0q 4.0q 12kq 2
F4 2 yˆ 2 yˆ 2 yˆ d d d 3. Find F1 k q1 q3 k q 3.0q xˆ yˆ F1 2 cos 45 xˆ sin 45 yˆ 2 2d 2d 2 2
3.0 2kq 2 xˆ yˆ 4d 2 4. Find the vector sum of the three forces:
6.0kq 2 3.0 2kq 2 12kq 2 3.0 2kq 2
Fnet 2 xˆ 2 yˆ d2 4d d2 4d 3.0kq 2 2.0 2 4 xˆ 4 2 4 yˆ d2 6 2 3.0 8.99 109 N m 2 / C2 2.4 10 C 2 2.0 2 4 xˆ 4 2 4 yˆ 0.33 m Fnet 2.3 N xˆ 5.2 N yˆ
5. Find the direction of Fnet from the +x axis:
1 Fnet, y 1 5.2 N tan tan 66 Fnet, x 2.3 N
6. Find the magnitude of Fnet
2 2 Fnet Fnet2 , x Fnet2 , y 2.3 N 5.2 N 5.7 N 7. (b) If the distance d were doubled, the magnitude of the force would be cut to one-fourth and the direction would be unchanged. Superposition For case of more than two forces, the net force vector is
F net F1 F 2 F 3 ....
The X and Y components of the net force are
Fnet , x F1, x F2, x F3, x ....
Fnet , y F1, y F2, y F3, y ....
The magnitude and direction of the net force are
Fnet Fnet2 , x Fnet2 , y
tan 1 ( Fnet , y / Fnet , x )
Example 19-3: Superposition Three charges, each equal to +2.90 uC, are placed at three corners of a square 0.500 m on a side, as shown in the diagram. Find the magnitude and direction of the net force on charge number 3
Picture the problem
Solution 1. Find the magnitude of F 31 q1 q 3 F31 k ( 2r )2 9 2 2 ( 2 .9 1 0 6 C ) 2 (8 .9 9 1 0 N .m /C ) 2 ( 0 .5 0 0 m ) 2
0 .1 5 1 N
2. Find the magnitude of F 32
q2 q3 F32 k (r )2 9 2 2 ( 2 .9 1 0 6 C ) 2 (8 .9 9 1 0 N .m /C ) ( 0 .5 0 0 m ) 2
0 .3 0 2 N 3. Calculate the two orthogonal components of F 31 and F 32
F 3 1, x F31 c o s 4 5 .0 ( 0 .1 5 1 N )( 0 .7 0 7 ) 0 .1 0 7 N
F 3 1, y F31 s in 4 5 .0 ( 0 .1 5 1 N ) ( 0 . 7 0 7 ) 0 .1 0 7 N
F32,x F32 c o s 0 ( 0 .3 0 2 N ) (1) 0 .3 0 2 N
F32 , y F32 s in 0 ( 0 .3 0 2 N )( 0 ) 0 N
4. Calculate the net force F 3
F3,x F31, x F32 ,x 0 .1 0 7 N 0 .3 0 2 N 0 .4 0 9 N
F3, y F3 1, y F32 , y 0 .1 0 7 N 0N 0 .1 0 7 N
F3 F 3 2, x F 3 2, y ( 0 .4 0 9 ) 2 ( 0 .1 0 7 N ) 2 0 .4 2 3 N
5. Find the direction of F3
1 F3, y 1 0 .1 0 7 N 3 ta n ( ) ta n ( ) 1 4 .7 F3,x 0 .4 0 9 N
