Question

A negative charge of -0.550 m exerts an upward 0.600@N force on an unknown charge that is located 0.300 m directly below the first charge. What are (a) the value of the unknown charge (magnitude and sign); (b) the magnitude and direction of the force that the unknown charge exerts on the -0.550@mC charge

Answer 1

a. +10.9μC

b. 0.600N and downward

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the magnitude of the charge, we use the force rule that exist between two charges which us expressed as

F=(kq₁q₂)/r²

since q₁=-0.55μC and the force it applied on the charge above it is upward,we can conclude that the second charge is +ve, hence we calculate its magnitude as

q₂=Fr²/kq₁

q₂=(0.6N*0.3²)/(9*10⁹*0.55*10⁻⁶)

q₂=0.054/4950

q₂=1.09*10⁻⁵c

q₂=10.9μC.

Hence the second charge is +10.9μC

b. From the rule of charges which state that like charges repel and unlike charges attract, we can conclude that the two above charges will attract since they are unlike charges. Hence the direction of the force will be downward into the second charge and the magnitude of the force will remain the same as 0.600N