Coulomb's Law (Electric Force) Video Lessons

Concept

# Problem: Point charges, q1, and q2, are placed on the x-axis, with q1 at x = 0 and q2 at x = d. A third point charge, +Q, is placed at x = 3d/4. If the net electrostatic force experienced by the charge +Q is zero, how are q1 and q2 related?

###### FREE Expert Solution

We need to know Coulomb's law to smoothly solve this problem.

$\overline{){\mathbf{F}}{\mathbf{=}}\frac{\mathbf{k}{\mathbf{q}}_{\mathbf{1}}{\mathbf{q}}_{\mathbf{2}}}{{\mathbf{r}}^{\mathbf{2}}}}$, where k is Coulomb's constant and r is the distance between charges q1 and q2.

We're told that the three charges are along the x-axis with q1 and q2 towards Q.

The electrostatic force exerted on Q by q1 is given by:

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###### Problem Details

Point charges, q1, and q2, are placed on the x-axis, with q1 at x = 0 and q2 at x = d. A third point charge, +Q, is placed at x = 3d/4. If the net electrostatic force experienced by the charge +Q is zero, how are q1 and q2 related?