Physics 250: Worksheet 01 Name _______________

Concepts: quantization of charge, law of charges, oulom!"s #aw, $u%er%osition of electrostatic forces
&1' ( metal s%here has a charge of )*+0+ What is the net charge after ,+0-10
1.
electrons
ha/e !een %lace0 on it1
&2' 2wo /ery small s%heres are initially neutral an0 their centers are se%arate0 !y a
0istance of 0+50 m+ $u%%ose that .+0-10
1.
electrons are remo/e0 from one s%here an0
%lace0 on the other+ &a' What is the magnitu0e of the electrostatic force that acts on each
s%here1 &!' 3s the force attracti/e of re%ulsi/e1 Why1
&.' 3n a /acuum, two %articles ha/e charges of q1 an0 q2, where q14).+5+ 2hey are
se%arate0 !y a 0istance of 0+2, m, an0 %article 1 e-%eriences an attracti/e force of .+5N+
What is q2 &magnitu0e an0 sign'1
&5' (n isosceles right triangle has si0es of #40+15 m+
harges( ) ( )
1 2 3
q ,q ,q 9, 8, 3 C = + +
are locate0 at the corners of the
triangle as shown+ 6in0 the magnitu0e of the net electrostatic force e-erte0
on the 78+0 charge+
&5' 2hree charges are fi-e0 to a artesian coor0inate system+ ( charge of )1* is on
the y a-is at y4).+0 m+ ( charge of 712 is at the origin+ #astly, a charge of )55 is
on the - a-is at -4).+0 m+ 9etermine the magnitu0e an0 0irection of the net electrostatic
force on the charge at -4).+0 m+ $%ecify the 0irection relati/e to the 7- a-is+
Physics 250: Worksheet 01 Name _______________
Introduction to electrostatics
:ere, we !egin talking a!out electrostatics with a %retty sim%le o!ser/ation, namely that
there are 2 ty%es of charges &) an0 7' an0 that the law of charges is o!eye0+ 2he law of
charges states that like charges re%el while unlike charges attract+
harges are measure0 in units of oulom!s+ 2he smallest charge &other than 0' is
18
e 1+,02-10

=
which is the charge on the electron+ We also ha/e the charge on the %roton which is the
same as the charge on the electron !ut o%%osite in sign+
(ll other charges are gi/en !y integral multi%les of the fun0amental charge:
q Ne =
&or ;4Ne'
where N &an integer' is the num!er of electrons &or, %rotons if q is %ositi/e'+
Coulombs Law
2he amount of force !etween two charges, like or unlike, is go/erne0 !y oulom!"s law+
$u%%ose you ha/e a charge q1 an0 a secon0 charge q2 locate0 at a 0istance r from each
other+ 2he force of attraction or re%ulsion !etween on charge 2 0ue to charge 1 is gi/en !y
oulom!"s law:
1 2
2
12
q q
21 12
r
<
6 k r =
r
where k is calle0 =oulom!"s onstant> ? k4*+88-10
8
Nm
2
@
2
an0 r is the 0istance of
se%aration !etween the two charges+
3 am going to try to always use the following notations:
21
6
r
will mean the force on !o0y 2 0ue to !o0y 1+
:ere, r is the 0istance !etween the two charges+
12
< r
is the unit /ector along the ra0ial 0irection which %oints from charge 1 to charge 2+
Important notes on the unit and other vectors well be using.
Make 100 sure !ou do not go further without knowing this"
$u%%ose charge i is locate0 at ( )
i i i i
r - , y , z =
+ We are going to nee0 to know the /ector
that %oints from i to a %oint % in s%ace gi/en !y the coor0inates: ( )
% % % %
r - , y , z =
+
#ow do we find the unit vectors and other needed items$
&1' Write you charge an0 %oint coor0inates as /ectors:
i i i i % % % %
< < < < < <
r - i y A z k: r - i y A z k = + + = + +
r r
&2' 2he /ector %ointing from charge i to %oint % is gi/en !y:
i% % i % i % i % i
< < <
r r r - - i y y A z z k = = + +

r r r
&.' 2he unit /ector %ointing from charge i to %oint % is gi/en !y:
% i % i % i i%
2 2 2
i%
% i % i % i
< < <
- - i y y A z z k r
i%
r
- - y y z z
< r
+ +

+ +

= =
r
r
:ere are a cou%le of things that you will fin0 useful
% i % i % i i% i% i%
2 2 2 2
i% i% % i
i% % i % i % i
% i % i % i % i
2 .
2 2 2
i%
% i % i % i
< < <
- - i y y A z z k < < r r r
1
i%
r r r r
r - - y y z z
< < <
- - i y y A z z k - -
1
i%
r
- - y y z z
< r
r
+ +

+ +

+ +


+ +



= = = =
= =
r
r r r r
r
r
r
{ }
% i % i
.
2 2 2 2
% i % i % i
< < <
i y y A z z k
- - y y z z
+ +

+ +

Physics 250: Worksheet 01 Name _______________
%uperposition of electrostatic forces
2he electrostatic forces from se/eral 0iscrete charge 0istri!utions which are s%atially
se%arate0 su%erim%ose /ectorially+ 2his means that the force on a charge =%> locate0 at
%osition
%
r
r
0ue to n charges &num!ere0 1, 2, ., ?, n' locate0 at %ositions
1 2 n
r , r ,+++, r
r r r
is
gi/en !y:
i %
2
i%
n
q q
% i%
r
i 1
i %
<
6 k r
=

=
r
r
2his %ro!a!ly looks a little !it scary !ut with correct symmetries an0 lower 0imensions,
the %ro!lem is re0uce0 significantly+ 9o note, howe/er, that almost all of electrostatics is
containe0 in this one equationB 3n one 0imension, this is %retty easy to work with
normally+ 3 am going to show you in succee0ing lectures, an0 in this lecture, the technical
0etails !ehin0 a%%lication of this to 0iscrete charge 0istri!utions+ 3 recommen0 the
technical metho0 o/er a%%lication of symmetries that you see in %ro!lems+ Cut it is
te0ious an0 you nee0 to 0o it with a clear min0 an0 remain focuse0 throughout your
calculation+
Dne thing that you"ll nee0 to know here is how a metal con0uctor !eha/es un0er
electrostatics ? the charges %lace0 on a metal con0uctor all s%rea0 out o/er the outer
e0ge of the con0uctor+ 2hey 0o this in such a way as to minimize the electrostatic forces
on any one charge+ $o long as the symmetry is s%herical, outsi0e the system the charge
acts as if it is concentrate0 at the center of the s%here+ 3"ll show you this later !ut for now,
you"ll nee0 to acce%t it+
Physics 250: Worksheet 01 Name _______________
&1' ( metal s%here has a charge of )*+0+ What is the net charge after ,+0-10
1.
electrons
ha/e !een %lace0 on it1
$olution:
( )
, 1. 18
1
, , ,
; q Ne *+0-10 ,+0-10 1+,02-10
*+0-10 8+,12-10 1+,12-10 1+,12


= + = + +
= = =
&2' 2wo /ery small s%heres are initially neutral an0 their centers are se%arate0 !y a
0istance of 0+50 m+ $u%%ose that .+0-10
1.
electrons are remo/e0 from one s%here an0
%lace0 on the other+ &a' What is the magnitu0e of the electrostatic force that acts on each
s%here1 &!' 3s the force attracti/e of re%ulsi/e1 Why1
$olution:
&a'
2his is an a%%lication of oulom!"s law:
here,
( )
1. 18 ,
1
q .+0-10 1+,02-10 5+*0,-10

= + = +
( )
1. 18 ,
2
q .+0-10 1+,02-10 5+*0,-10

= =
r40+5m
$o,
( )
( )
2
,
1 2
2 2
5+*0,-10
q q 8
r 0+5
6 k *+88-10 0+*.1N

= = =
r
Cy Newton"s law, the magnitu0e of the force on each s%here is the same+
&!' 2he force is attracti/e !y the law of charges+
Physics 250: Worksheet 01 Name _______________
&.' 3n a /acuum, two %articles ha/e charges of q1 an0 q2, where q14).+5+ 2hey are
se%arate0 !y a 0istance of 0+2, m, an0 %article 1 e-%eriences an attracti/e force of .+5N+
What is q2 &magnitu0e an0 sign'1
$olution:
#et"s 0o the easier %art first ?
3f the force is attracti/e, since q1 is %ositi/e, q2 must !e negati/e+
Now, let"s fin0 out how !ig q2 is:
( )
( )
1 2
2
2
2
8 7,
1
q q
r
.+5 0+2,
,
.+5r 0+228*5
2 kq .15,5
*+88-10 .+5-10
6 k .+5N
q E+.-10 E+.

= =
= = = = =
r
so q247E+.+
Physics 250: Worksheet 01 Name _______________
&5' (n isosceles right triangle has si0es of #40+15 m+
harges( ) ( )
1 2 3
q ,q ,q 9, 8, 3 C = + +
are locate0 at the corners of the
triangle as shown+ 6in0 the magnitu0e of the net electrostatic force e-erte0
on the 78+0 charge+
$olution: 3 am going to show all the technical ste%s nee0e0+ 2here
are sim%ler ways to 0o this, !ut if you follow this %roce0ure, you
will always arri/e at the correct solution without ha/ing to use
trigonometry or a%%ly symmetry arguments+ 2his may or may not
!e a goo0 thing to show+ #et"s %lace a artesian coor0inate system
on this %ro!lem as shown+ 2hen, &using # as the length':
1 2 .
< < < < < < < < <
r 0i #A 0k : r #i 0A 0k : r 0i 0A 0k = + + = + + = + +
r r r
3t is now easy to a%%ly oulom!"s law to calculate the force on charge 1:
1 . 1 i 1 2
2 2 2
1 i 1 2 1 .
. .
q q q q q q
% 1 1i 12 1. i1 21 .1
r r r r r r
i 2 i 2
< < < 6 6 6 6 6 k r k r k r

= =
= = = + = = +

r r r r r r
r r r r r
#et"s calculate the /ector quantities nee0e0+
( ) ( )
1 2
1 2
1 2 1 2
< <
i A < <
r r #i #A
21 r r # 2 2
< < < < <
r r 0 # i # 0 A 0k #i #A r r # 2
< r

+
+

= + + = + =
= = =
r r
r r
r r r r
( ) ( ) ( )
1 .
1 .
1 . 1 .
<
r r #A
.1 # r r
< < < <
r r 0 0 i # 0 A 0 0 k #A r r #
<
< r A

= + + = =
= = =
r r
r r
r r r r
We can now write the force using ( ) ( )
1 2 3
q ,q ,q 9, 8, 3 C = + +
( )
. 2 1 2 2
2 2 2
< <
i A
q q kq q q
1 1 .
2 * * 2# # #
< < <
6 kq A i q A

+


= + = + +


r
( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( ) 2
k 8 * *
1
* * #
< <
6 i . A
+ +

= + + +

r
( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
8
2
*+88-10 8
12
* *
1
* * 0+15
< < < <
6 i . A -10 .+58, *i . * A
< <
10+1E1i 20+585A

+ +

= + + = + +

=
r
We can fin0 the magnitu0e an0 0irection of this force:
2 2
1 1 1
6 6 6 10+1E1 20+585 22+8E0N = = + =
r r r
We can fin0 the angle that this force is %ointing at:
1
1
<
6 A 0
20+585
< 10+1E1
6 i
tan 2+025 ,.+E

= = = =
r
r
2he force is %ointing ,.+E 0egrees !elow the -7a-is+ Note that you nee0 to !e a !it careful
to not get your angle off !y 1*0 0egrees when you calculate these 0irections+
3"/e %ro0uce0 this %ro!lem in a s%rea0sheet also+
Physics 250: Worksheet 01 Name _______________
&5' 2hree charges are fi-e0 to an -y coor0inate system+ ( charge of )1* is on the y
a-is at y4).+0 m+ ( charge of 712 is at the origin+ #astly, a charge of )55 is on the
- a-is at -4).+0 m+ 9etermine the magnitu0e an0 0irection of the net electrostatic force
on the charge at -4).+0 m+ $%ecify the 0irection relati/e to the 7- a-is+
$olution:
2he %icture looks like this:
3 want to 0o this again with the =technical !ut te0ious> a%%roach that 3
am teaching you+ 3 think it is going to !e hel%ful if 3 say that you nee0 to
%ut all your gi/en 0ata into a ta!ular form+ Fou really ought to 0o this
since it will sa/e lots of time an0 re0uce mistakes+ 3 su%%ose it nee0s to
look something like this:
harge &' - y z
1:)55 ). 0 0
2:)1* 0 ). 0
.:712 0 0 0
Now we"re going to nee0 to calculate the /arious unit /ectors an0 0istances+ (s you can
see this is /ery similar to the last %ro!lem+
1 2 3

r 3i 0j : r 0i 3j : r 0i 0j = + = + = +
r r r
1 . 1 i 1 2
2 2 2
1 i 1 2 1 .
. .
q q q q q q
% 1 1i 12 1. i1 21 .1
r r r r r r
i 2 i 2
< < < 6 6 6 6 6 k r k r k r

= =
= = = + = = +

r r r r r r
r r r r r
( ) ( )
( )
21
21
2 2
1 2 1 2
< <
r .i .A
1
21 r . 2 2
< < < < <
r r . 0 i 0 . A 0k .i .A r r . . . 2 1*
< <
<r i A

= + + = = + = =
= = =
r
r
r r r r
( ) ( )
1 . 1 .
<
.i
.1 .
< < < <
r r . 0 i 0 0 A 0k .i r r .
<
< r i
= + + = =
= =
r r r r
We are now rea0y to form the force on charge 1:
( )
( ) ( )
. . 2 2 2
2 2
< <
i A
q q q q q
1
% 1 1 1* 8
2 2 1* 2 .
1*
< < <
6 kq i kq i A

= + = +



r
Dne way you can s%ee0 u% your calculations when you %lace num!ers into your
calculations is this: if all your charges are gi/en in micro7coulom!s then %lace them in
with out multi%lying !y 10
7,
an0 multi%ly !y 10
712
at then en0+
:ere:
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
8 12
1* 1* 1 12
% 1* 8
2 1* 2
.
< <
6 *+88-10 55 i A -10
< <
*+88-10 55 0+E0E 1+... i 0+E0E1A
< <
0+25.2i 0+2*,1A

= +


=

=
r
( )
2 2
1
< < 6 0+25..5- 0+2*,0,y 0+25. 0+2*, 0+.*2N = = + =
r
( )
y
-
6
0 0
+2*,
6 +25.
tan 1+1. 5*+5 or 1*0 5*+5 22*+5
the correct solution is 22*+5 for this %ro!lem

= = = = + = + =
3"/e %ro0uce0 this %ro!lem in a s%rea0sheet also+
Physics 250: Worksheet 01 Name _______________
&elow is another version of the same approach for this problem.
&5' 2hree charges are fi-e0 to a artesian coor0inate system+ ( charge of )1* is on
the y a-is at y4).+0 m+ ( charge of 712 is at the origin+ #astly, a charge of )55 is
on the - a-is at -4).+0 m+ 9etermine the magnitu0e an0 0irection of the net electrostatic
force on the charge at -4).+0 m+ $%ecify the 0irection relati/e to the 7- a-is+
$olution:
2he %icture looks like this:
2o fin0 the forces, you nee0 to resol/e com%onents of the /ectors
as shown !elow: &note 455
0
'+
2he force is then gi/en !y:
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
i %
1 . 1 2
2 2 2
1 2 1 .
% i
n
q q
q q q q
% i%
r r r r
r r
i 1
< < < < 6 k r k - k cos - sin y

=
= = + +

r r r r
r r
r
3t is easy to fin0 the angle using trigonometry: !y symmetry it must !e 55
0
+ 3"ll show you
!elow a more technically e-acting metho0 that will not require you to use symmetry
consi0erations+
Fou want to a%%ly:
i %
2
% i
n
q q
% i%
r r
i 1
< 6 k r

=
=
r r
r
++++ you nee0 to calculate each %art of this e-%ression+
Dk, ste% !y ste% now ?
': (rite vectors pointing to each charge

1 2 .
< < < < < < r .- 0y, r 0- 0y, an0 r 0- .y = + = + = +
r r r
&: )orm the vectors pointing between charges and the magnitudes
1 2 1 2
< < r r .- 0y r r . = + =
r r r r
2 2
1 . 1 .
< < r r .- .y r r . . 1* = = + =
r r r r
C: Calculate the unit vectors: use:
i%
i%
r
i% % i i%
r
< r r r : r = =
r
r
r r r
2he unit /ectors are also easy to calculate:
.1 1 .
.1
r r r < < .- .y
< .-
.1 21 . r 1* 1*
< < < < < r 0+E0E- 0+E0Ey an0 r -

= = = = = =
r r r
r
*: +ut all elements into the force calculation and evaluate it
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
8 12
1* 12
1 8 1*
< < < < < 6 *+88-10 55 - 0+E0E- 0+E0Ey -10 N 0+255- 0+2*,y N

= + + =

r
( )
2 2
1
< < 6 0+255- 0+2*,y 0+255 0+2*, 0+.*.N = = + =
r
( )
y
-
6
0
+2*,
6 +255
tan 1+12, 5*+.8 = = = = &!elow the G- a-is'+
,ou will need to be able to do these t!pes of calculations"