Chapter 22: Q. 52 (page 626)

FIGURE $P 22.52$ shows three charges and the net force on charge $- q$ . Charge $Q$ is some multiple $α$ of $q$ . What is $α$ $?$

Short Answer

Expert verified

The value of the alpha is $4$ .

Step by step solution

Calculation for horizontal force

The two particles exert forces on each other, with the force decreasing as the distance between them grows and increasing as the size of the charges increases.

Columns law of force,

$F_{C} = F_{1 on 2} = F_{2 on 1} = \frac{K |q_{1}| |q_{2}|}{r^{2}}$

Horizontal force between charge $- q$ and $- αq$

$F_{x} = \frac{K (- q) (αq)}{(2 L)^{2}}$

$= \frac{- {Kαq}^{2}}{4 L^{2}}$

Calculation for alpha

Vertical force between charge $- q$ and $q$ ,

$F_{y} = \frac{K (- q) (q)}{L^{2}}$

$= \frac{- {Kq}^{2}}{L^{2}}$

The net force forms a $45^{°}$ angle with the horizontal axis, implying that the magnitude of the horizontal force $F_{x}$ is the same as the magnitude of the vertical force $F_{y}$ .

So,

$F_{x} = F_{y}$

$\frac{- {Kαq}^{2}}{4 L^{2}} = \frac{- {Kq}^{2}}{L^{2}}$

$(\frac{α}{4}) (\frac{- {Kq}^{2}}{L^{2}}) = (\frac{- {Kq}^{2}}{L^{2}})$

$\frac{α}{4} = 1$

$α = 4$

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FIGURE $P 22.52$ shows three charges and the net force on charge $- q$ . Charge $Q$ is some multiple $α$ of $q$ . What is $α$ $?$

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Calculation for horizontal force

Calculation for alpha

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FIGURE P22.52shows three charges and the net force on charge -q. ChargeQis some multiple αof q. What isα?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Calculation for horizontal force

Calculation for alpha

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

Turning Points in Physics

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Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

FIGURE $P 22.52$ shows three charges and the net force on charge $- q$ . Charge $Q$ is some multiple $α$ of $q$ . What is $α$ $?$