Question

Large electric fields in cell membranes cause ions to move through the cell wall. The field strength in a typical membrane is 1.0 times 10^7 N/C. What is the magnitude of the force on a calcium ion with charge +e? Express your answer using two significant figures.

Answer 1

`1.6\cdot 10^(-12)N`

Step-by-step explanation:

The electric force on a charged particle is given by

`F=qE`

where

q is the charge of the particle

E is the strength of the electric field

In this problem, we have

`E=1.0\cdot 10^7 N/C` is the electric field strength

`q=+e=+1.6\cdot 10^(-19)C` is the charge of the calcium ion

Therefore, the electric force exerted on the calcium ion is

`F=(1.6\cdot 10^(-19)C)(1.0\cdot 10^7 N/C)=1.6\cdot 10^(-12)N`