kim (hk9297) HW2-a li (55120)

This print-out should have 7 questions.

Multiple-choice questions may continue on
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before answering.
001 (part 1 of 4) 10.0 points
Consider four charges of equal magnitude q
on the corners of a square with sides of length
a.
A
B

+
y
O

+
D
C
What is the magnitude of the electric field
at the center O?
ke q
2 2 correct
a
ke q
= 2
a
1 ke q
=
4 2 a2
1 ke q
=
2 2 a2
ke q
= 2 2
a
1 ke q
=
2 a2
ke q
=3 2 2
a
ke q
=2 2 2
a

1. EO = 4
2. EO
3. EO
4. EO
5. EO
6. EO
7. EO
8. EO

9. EO = 0
ke q
a2
Explanation:
The distance
between each corner and the
a
center is , so
2
10. EO = 3

q
E A = ke 
 2 = 2 ke 2
a
a

Not all of the forces are collinear, so we must

carry out vector addition.
The two negative charges yield a field pointing away from them on a line from O and the
two positive charges yield forces pointing toward them from O:
EA + EC
E
EB + ED
~ A and E
~ C are collinear (as are E
~ B and
E
~ D ), so
E
E A + E C = 4 ke

q
= EB + ED .
a2

The Cartesian components of the two vectors with the origin at O are


q
1
1
~A + E
~ B = 4 ke
E
+
and
a2
2
2


1
1
q
~B + E
~ D = 4 ke
, so
E
a2
2
2

q
1
1
~ = 4 ke

a2
2
2

1
1

2
2

q
q
= 4 2 ke 2 () = 4 2 ke 2
a
a

q
kEO k = 4 2 ke 2 .
a
002 (part 2 of 4) 10.0 points
Find the direction of the electric field.
1. ~j
1
2. (~i ~j)
2
~ =0
3. Undetermined since E
4. ~i
1
5. (~i + ~j)
2

kim (hk9297) HW2-a li (55120)

2
EA

1
6. (~i + ~j)
2
7. ~i correct

ED

8. ~j
1
9. (~i + ~j)
2
Explanation:
The direction is to the left.
003 (part 3 of 4) 10.0 points
What is the magnitude of the electric field at
C due to the charges at A, B, and D?
7 ke q

4 2 a2
9 ke q
2. EC =
4 a2
ke q
3. EC = 3 2
a
3 ke q
4. EC =
correct
2 a2
1 ke q
5. EC =
3 2 a2
ke q
6. EC = 2 2
a
ke q
7. EC = 2 2 2
a
ke q
8. EC = 3 2 2
a
ke q
9. EC = 2
a
ke q
10. EC = 4 2 2
a
Explanation:

The charge at A is now at a distance 2 a,

with field magnitude
1. EC =

q
q
E A = ke
= ke
2 a2
( 2 a)2
whereas the charges at B and D are at a
distance a, with fields
E B = E D = ke

q
:
a2

EA + EB + ED

EB + ED

EB

is the angle between the horizontal and

~ =E
~A + E
~B + E
~ D.
the resultant field at C: E
~ B and E
~ D first. The
It is convenient to add E
parallelogram
they form is a square, so the
diagonal is 2 times the side
~B +E
~ Dk =
kE

2 ke

q
.
a2

~B + E
~ D and E
~ A in the figure are at right
E
angles, so we can use Pythagoras Theorem:
s
 2  
2 3 ke q
1
ke q
.
+
2 =
E= 2
a
2
2 a2
004 (part 4 of 4) 10.0 points
A
B

+
y
x

O
D

Find tan , where as the angle between

the horizontal and the electric field at C due
to the three charges at A, B, and D.

1. tan = 2

2 21
2. tan =
correct
2 2+1

3. tan = 2 2 1

4. tan = 3

kim (hk9297) HW2-a li (55120)

the electron is north of C while the proton is

south, both at the same distance r. Therefore

5. tan = 1
1

2 21

7. tan = 2 2 + 1

6. tan =



1
e
e
E=
N + 2 (N )
40 r 2
r
2 e
N
=
40 r 2
r
e
r=
20 E

2 2+1

2 2+1
9. tan =
2 21
1
10. tan =
2
Explanation:
Construct a coordinate system with C as
the origin. The Cartesian components are
8. tan =

and

You are familiar with the principle of superposition as applied to the electric fields
of a collection of point charges. We may
apply this principle to extended charge distributions as well. For this problem, model each
charged object as a collection of many individual charges, then use symmetry arguments
in order to reason out your answer.
y
+
+
P.
+
+

~B + E
~ D = ke q ( ) ,
E
a2
so the resultant is



~ = ke q
+ 2 2 2 2
E
2 2a2

ke q h 
2 2 + 1
=
2 2a2
 i

2 2 1

10.0 points

Ey
2 21
.
tan =
=
Ex
2 2+1

005 10.0 points

The electric field at a location C points north
and has a magnitude of 6 105 N/C. Where
must you place a proton and an electron
(charge |q| = 1.6 1019 C) so that both lie
on the same line passing through C and are
equidistant from C in order to produce this
field? Use k = 9 109 Nm2 /C2 .
Correct answer: 6.9282 108 m.

Explanation:
Since the proton and electron have equal
but opposite charge and we are told they are
at equal distances from C, it must be that

ke q

( + ) and
2 2a2

006

~A =
E

= 6.9282 108 m

y
++++
G.

x
++++
y
+++++

S.

+
+
+
+
+
+++++

kim (hk9297) HW2-a li (55120)

++
++
++

++

++

++

M.

Configuration P is anti-symmetric about

the y-axis (opposite sign of charges), so the
electric field has no y-component.
y
+
+
+
P
+

y
++++
L.

For which configuration(s) does the total

electric field vector at the origin have nonzero components in the x direction as well as
the y direction (i.e., both x and y components
are non-zero)?
1. Configurations P and M only
2. Configuration S only
3. Configurations G, S and M only
4. Configurations P, L and M only
5. Configuration L only correct
6. Configurations P, G and M only
7. Configuration G only
8. Configurations P and G only
9. Configuration P only
10. Configurations G and M only

Explanation:

X
kq

r
and
E
=
E .
r2
Symmetry of the configuration will cause
some component of the electric field to be
zero.
E =

Configuration G is symmetric by a rotation

of 180 , so the electric fields generated by
these two pieces have opposite directions and
the total field is zero.
y
++++
G

x
++++

Configuration L is anti-symmetric by rotation of a 180 , so the total field has non-zero

components in both x and y directions, just
like the field generated by just one piece of
charge.
y
++++
L

Configuration S is symmetric about the xaxis, so the y component of the total field
must vanish.
y
+++++
+

S
+
x
+

+++++

kim (hk9297) HW2-a li (55120)

++

++

++

++

007 10.0 points

Three small spheres carry equal amounts of
electric charge. They are equally spaced and
lie along the same line.
+

What is the direction of the net electric

force on each charge due to the other charges?
1.

2.

3.

4.

correct
5.

6.

7.

9.

8.

++

++

Configuration M is symmetric about the

y-axis, so the x component of the total field
must vanish.
y

10.

Explanation:
Since like charges repel and unlike charge
attract,