Phys 102 Recitation Problem Set 1: Chapter 21

Ch. 21 Pr.13: Three charged particles are placed at the corners of an equilateral
triangle of side 1.2 m (Figure on the right). Calculate the magnitude and direction
of the net force on each charge due to the other two.

Ch. 21 Pr. 35: Determine the direction and magnitude of the electric field at the point P in figure below.
The charges are separated by a distance 2a, and point P
is a distance x from the midpoint between the two
charges. Express your answer in terms of Q, x, a, k.

Ch. 21 Pr. 48: Determine the direction and magnitude of

the electric field at the point P in figure below. The two
charges are separated by a distance 2a. Point P is on the
perpendicular bisector of the line joining the charges, a
distance x from the midpoint between them. Express your
answers in terms of Q, x, a, k.

Ch. 21 Pr. 53: A thin rod of length l carries a total charge Q

distributed uniformly along its length (See the figure below).
Determine the electric field along the axis of the rod starting at
one end - that is, find () for 0.

Phys 102 Recitation Problem Set 1: Chapter 21 Solutions

Ch. 21 Pr.13 Solution:
The forces on each charge lie along a line connecting the charges. Let the
variable d represent the length of a side of the triangle. Since the triangle is
equilateral, each angle is 60o. First calculate the magnitude of each individual
force.
F12 k

Q1Q2
d2

8.988 109 N m 2 C2

F13

7.0 10 C 8.0 10 C
6

1.20 m 2

F23

0.3495 N
F13 k

Q1Q3
d

8.988 109 N m 2 C2

Q1

Q2
F21

7.0 10 C 6.0 10 C
6

F12

Q3

F32
F31

1.20 m 2

0.2622 N

F23 k

Q2Q3
d2

8.988 109 N m 2 C2

8.0 10 C 6.0 10 C 0.2996 N F

6

1.20 m

32

Now calculate the net force on each charge and the direction of that net force, using components.

F1 x F12 x F13 x 0.3495 N cos 60o 0.2622 N cos 60o 4.365 102 N
F1 y F12 y F13 y 0.3495 N sin 60o 0.2622 N sin 60o 5.297 101 N

1 tan 1

F1 F12x F12y 0.53 N

F1 y
F1 x

tan 1

5.297 101 N

265

4.365 102 N

F2 x F21 x F23 x 0.3495 N cos 60o 0.2996 N 1.249 10 1 N

F2 y F21 y F23 y 0.3495 N sin 60o 0 3.027 10 1 N

2 tan 1

F2 F22x F22y 0.33 N

F2 y
F2 x

tan 1

3.027 101 N
1.249 101 N

112

F3 x F31 x F32 x 0.2622 N cos 60o 0.2996 N 1.685 101 N

F3 y F31 y F32 y 0.2622 N sin 60o 0 2.271 10 1 N

3 tan

F3 F F 0.26 N
2
3x

2
3y

F3 y
F3 x

tan

2.271 101 N
1.685 101 N

53

Ch. 21 Pr. 35 Solution:

Choose the rightward direction to be positive. Then the field due to +Q will be positive, and the field due
to Q will be negative.
Ek

x a

x a

1
4kQxa

2
2
x a x a
2
2 2

x a

kQ

The negative sign means the field points to the left .

Q
Ch. 21 Pr. 48 Solution:
From the diagram, we see that the x components of the
two fields will cancel each other at the point P. Thus
the net electric field will be in the negative y-direction,

x
a

E Q

EQ

and will be twice the y-component of either electric field vector.

kQ
Enet 2 E sin 2 2
sin
x a2
2kQ
a
2
1/ 2
2
x a x2 a2

2kQa

a2

3/ 2

in the negative y direction

Ch. 21 Pr. 53 Solution:

Choose a differential element of the rod dx a distance x from the origin, as shown in the diagram. The
Q
charge on that differential element is dq dx. The variable x is treated as positive, so that the field
due to this differential element is dE

dq

4 0 x x

dx

4 0

x x

. Integrate along the rod to find

the total field.

E dE
0

dx

4 0

x x

Q
4 0 x x

Q
4 0

dx

x x
0

1
Q 1
1

4 0 x x 0 4 0 x x
Q