# Thread: charges with Columbs law.

1. ## charges with Columbs law.

The charge at the coordinate origin has a value of q1 = +9.00 µC; the other two have identical magnitudes, but opposite signs: q2 = -5.50 µC and q3 = +5.50 µC.

(a) Determine the net force (magnitude and direction) exerted on q1 by the other two charges. magnitude in N
direction ° (measured counter clockwise from the x-axis)

(b) If q1 had a mass of 1.00 g and it were free to move, what would be its acceleration?
in m/s^2

2. Originally Posted by rcmango
The charge at the coordinate origin has a value of q1 = +9.00 µC; the other two have identical magnitudes, but opposite signs: q2 = -5.50 µC and q3 = +5.50 µC.

(a) Determine the net force (magnitude and direction) exerted on q1 by the other two charges. magnitude in N
direction ° (measured counter clockwise from the x-axis)

(b) If q1 had a mass of 1.00 g and it were free to move, what would be its acceleration?
in m/s^2

You can easily do this with Coulomb's law. But you failed to specify where q2 and q3 are, so with the given information you are stuck.

Use Coulomb's law to find the magnitude of the forces on q1. Then use your intuition as to whether q1 is attracted or repelled by either charge to determine a direction for the force.

Then, and here's the key, you need to add those two forces vectorally to get the net force.

As to the acceleration, that's easy. $\sum F = ma$.

-Dan