Problem 1:

What is the net force and its direction that the charges at the vertices A and C
of the right triangle ABC exert on the charge in vertex B?

Solution to Problem 1:

Let FAB be the force of repulsion exerted by the charge at A on the charge at B
and FCB be the force exerted by the charge at point C on the charge at point B.
The diagram below shows the direction of these two forces. We first use
Coulomb's law (F = k q1 q2 / r2) to find the magnitude of these two forces

|FAB| = k (7 × 10-6)((2× 10-6) / (4 × 10-2)2 = 14 × 10-12 k / (16 × 10-4) = 0.875 k × 10-

8

|FCB| = k (2× 10-6)(2× 10-6) / (2 × 10-2)2 = k × 10-8

We now use Pythagora's theorem to find the magnitude of the resultant force
F = FAB + FCB (a vector sum)

|F| = √(|FAB|2 + |FCB|2) = k × 10-8 √( 0.875 2 + 12 ) = 9.00 × 109 × 10-8 √( 0.875 2 +

12 ) = 1.20 × 102 N

θ = arctan(|FCB|/ |FAB| ) = arctan( k × 10-8 / 0.875 k × 10-8) = 48.8°

Problem 2:

A positive charge q exerts a force of magnitude - 0.20 N on another charge -

2q. Find the magnitude of each charge if the distance separating them is
equal to 50 cm.

Solution to Problem 2:

The force that q exert on 2q is given by Coulomb's law:

F = k (q) ( - 2q) / r2 , r = 0.5 m , F = - 0.20 N ,

- 0.2 = - 2 q2 k / 0.52

q2 = 0.2 × 0.52 / (2 k)

q = √ [ (0.2 × 0.52 / (2 × 9 × 109) ] = 1.66 × 10-6 C

q = 1.66 × 10-6 C , -2 q = -3.23 × 10-6 C

Problem 3:

Two identical objects, separated by a distance d, with charges equal in

magnitude but of opposite signs exert a force of attraction of - 2.5 N on each
other. What force do these objects exert on each other if the distance between
them becomes 2d?

Solution to Problem 3:

Let the two charges be q and -q. The magnitude of the force that q and -q,
separated by a distance d, exert on each other is given by Coulomb's law:
F = k (q) (- q) / d2 = - k q2 / d2 = - 2.5 N

The magnitude of the force F2 that q and -q, separated by a distance 2 d, exert
on each other is given by Coulomb's law:

F2 = k (q) (- q) / (2 d)2 = - k q2 / 4 d2 = F / 4 = - 2.5 / 4 = - 0.625 N

Problem 4:

A charge of q = - 4.0 × 10-6 is placed in an electric field and experiences a

force of 5.5 N [E]

a) What is the magnitude and direction of the electric field at the point where
charge q is located?

b) If charge q is removed, what is the magnitude and direction of the force

exerted on a charge of - 2q at the same location as charge q?

Solution to Problem 4:

a) The force on a charge q due to an electric field E is given by

F=qE

The magnitude of E is given by

| E | = | F | / | q | = 5.5 / (4.0 × 10-6) = 1.375 × 106 N / C

Since charge q is negative F and E have opposite direction. E is 1.375 × 106 N

/ C [W]

b) The force on a charge -2q due to an electric field E is given by

F2 = -2 q E = -2(q E) = -2(5.5[E]) = -11 [E] or 11 N [W]

Problem 5:

Three charges are located at the vertices of a right isosceles triangle as shown below.
What is the magnitude and direction of the resultant electric field at the midpoint M of
AC?

Solution to Problem 5:

The magnitude of an electric field due to a charge q is given by.

E = k q / r2

and it is directed away from charge q if q is positive and towards charge q if q is

negative. Hence the diagram below showing the direction the fields due to all the three
charges. The total field field E is the vector sum of all three fields: E AM, ECM and EBM

E = EAM + ECM + EBM (vector sum)

Because of the symmetry at point M, EAM and ECM are equal in magnitudes and opposite
directions. Hence
EAM + ECM = 0 (vector addition)

Hence

E = EBM

The magnitude of EBM is given by

EBM = k (2 × 10-6) / BM2

Note that

∠MBA = ∠MAB = 45° and MB = MA (lengths)

hence

MB = MA

Pythagora's theorem

52 = MB2 + MA2

MB = 5/√2

MB2 = 25/2 = 12.5 cm2 = 12.5×10-4 m2

The magnitude of the field EBM at point M due to the charge at B is given by

EBM = k q / MB2 = k (2 × 10-6) / (12.5 × 10-4) = 9.00 × 109 × 2 × 10-6 / (12.5 × 10-4) = 1.44 ×
107 N/C

The magnitude of the total field E at M is equal to EBM. Hence

E = EBM = 1.44 × 107 N/C

Problem 6:

What distance must separate two charges of + 5.6×10-4C and -6.3×10-4 C in order to
have an electric potential energy with a magnitude of 5.0 J in the system of the two
charges?

Solution to Problem 6:

The magnitude of the electric potiential energy Ep of a system of two charges q1 and
q2 separated by a distance r is given by

Ep = k | q1 | | q2 | / r

Solve for r.

r = k q1 q2 / Ep = 9.00×109×5.6×10-4×6.3×10-4 / 5.0 = 6.35×102 m

Problem 7:

The distance between two charges q1 = + 2 μC and q2 = + 6 μC is 15.0 cm. Calculate

the distance from charge q1 to the points on the line segment joining the two charges
where the electric field is zero.

Solution to Problem 7:

At a distance x from q1 the total electric filed is the vector sum of the electric E 1 from
due to q1 and directed to the right and the electric field E2 due to q2 and directed to the
left. The vector sum is equal to zero if the magnitudes of the the two fields E 1 and E2 are
equal since they have opposite direction.

The magnitudes of the the two fields E1 and E2 are given by

E1 = k q1 / x2

E2 = k q2 / (15 - x)2

E1 = E2 gives the equation

k q1 / x2 = k q2 / (15 - x)2

Cross multiply and simplify to obtain

q1(15 - x)2 = q2 x2

Which may be written as

(15 - x)2 / x2 = q2 / q1 = 3

We now to solve for x the equation

(15 - x) / x = ~+mn~ √3

The above equation gives two solutions but only one is positive and is equal to

x = 15 / (1 + √3) ≈ 5.50 cm

Problem 8:

The distance AB between charges Q1 and Q2 shown below is 5.0 m. How much work
must be done to move charge Q2 to a new location at point C so that the distance BC =
2.5 m?

Solution to Problem 8:

If W is the work to be done to move Q2 from a position where its potential energy is
Ep1 and kinetic energy 0 (from rest) to another position where its potential energy is
Ep2 and kinetic energy 0 (to rest), then by the conservation of energy, we have.

Ep1 + W = Ep2

which gives

W = Ep2 - Ep1

Ep1 = k Q1 Q2 / AB , with AB = 5 m

Ep2 = k Q1 Q2 / AC , with AC = 7.5 m

W = k Q1 Q2 (1/AB - 1/AC) = 9.00×109×5×10-6×-3×10-6 (1/7.5 - 1/5) = 9×10-3J

Problem 9:
Two parallel plates separated by distance of 1 cm have a potential difference of 20 V
between them. The plates are held in a horizontal position with the negative plate above
the positive plate. An electron is released from rest in the upper plate.

a) What is the acceleration of the electron?

b)How long it takes to reach the lower plate?

c)What is the kinetic energy of the electron when it hits the lower plate?

Note: charge of electron q = -1.6×10-19C , mass of electron m = 9.11×10-31Kg

Solution to Problem 8:

a) Electric force F exerted on the electron is given by:

F=qE

with the electric field E between the plates given by:

E = ΔV / d = 20 v / 1 cm = 2000 v/m or N/C

F = -1.6×10-19C×2000 N/C = -3.2×10-16N

Note: the weight of the electron is given by: m g = 9.11×10-31×9.8 = 8.93×10-30N

which is much smaller that the electric force acting on the electron and will therefore be
neglected.

The acceleration due to the electric force is:

a = F / m = -3.2×10-16/9.11×10-31 = - 3.51×1014 m/s2

b) Let vf and vi be the final (at lower plate) and initial (from rest upper plate ) velocities of
the electron. Hence using the formula

vf2 = vi2 + 2 a h , h is the distance between the plates.

vi = 0 (from rest)

vf2 = 2 a h = 2(- 3.51×1014 m/s2)(-1×10-2m) (y axis upward)

vf = 2.64×106 m/s

With uniform acceleration a and initial velocity equal to zero, we have the velocity as a
function of time given by

v=at

If T is the time it takes the electron to move from the upper to the lower plates, then

vf = a T

which gives

T = vf / a = 2.64×106 m/s / 3.51×1014 m/s2 = 7.52×10-9s

c) The kinetic energy Ek of the electron at the lower plate is given by

Ek = (1/2) m vf2 = 0.5×9.11×10-31(2.64×106)2 = 3.17×10-18J

Problem 10:

Two electrons are held 3μm apart. When released from rest, what is the velocity of each
electron when they are 8μm apart?

Solution to Problem 10:

Let Ep1 be the potential electric energy at rest (distance r = 3μm) and Ep2 be the potential
electric energy when they are 5μm apart and moving. The total (potential and kinetic
energies) at each position are given by

Et1 = Ep1 + (1/2) m (0)2 = Ep1

Et2 = Ep2 + (1/2) m v2 + (1/2) m v2 = Ep2 + m v2

Formula for electric potential energy due to charges q1 and q2 distant by r is:

Ep = k q1 q2 /r

No external energy is used and no energy is lost, therefore there is conservation of

energy such that potential energy is converted into kinetic energy.
Ep1 = Ep2 + m v2 , v is the velocity when 8μm apart.

charge of electron = - e = -1.60×10-19C , mass of electrom m = 9.109×10-31Kg

m v2 = Ep1 - Ep2 = k×e×e / (3×10-6) - k×e×e / (5×10-6) = 9×109(1.6×10-19)2 [ 1 / (3×10-6) - 1 /

(8×10-6) ]

v ≈ 3.48×104 m/s