Question

Two point charges, 3.4 μC and -2.0 μC , are placed 5.0 cm apart on the x axis. Assume that the negative charge is at the origin, and the positive x-axis is directed from the negative charge to the positive. A. At what points along the x axis is the electric field zero. B. At what points along the x axis is the potential zero? Let V=0 at r=[infinity].

Answer 1

The electric field is zero at a point between the charges where their forces balance, while the electric potential is zero at a point outside the charges where their potentials cancel out.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question inquires about the conditions for which the electric field and electric potential would be zero along the x-axis for two point charges. The electric field is zero where the forces due to the charges on a test charge balance each other out. The electric potential is zero when the contribution of potential due to both charges at a point cancels out.

A. For the electric field to be zero, the point must lie closer to the smaller magnitude charge, as electric field intensity varies inversely with the square of the distance. Hence, it will be somewhere between the origin and 5.0 cm. B. For the electric potential to be zero, since it is a scalar quantity, it will be on the opposite side of the smaller charge compared to the larger charge and at a distance greater than 5.0 cm from the origin.

To calculate these locations precisely, one would set up equations based on Coulomb's Law for electric field and electric potential and solve for the positions where each is zero.