1.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.AE.001.

[3500694]
EXAMPLE 15.1Forces in a Hydrogen Atom
GOAL Contrast the magnitudes of an electric force and a gravitational force.

PROBLEM The electron and proton of a hydrogen atom are separated (on the
average) by a distance of about 5.3 10-11 m. (a) Find the magnitudes of the
electric force and the gravitational force that each particle exerts on the other, and the
ratio of the electric force Fe to the gravitational force Fg. (b) Compute the
acceleration caused by the electric force of the proton on the electron. Repeat for the
gravitational acceleration.

STRATEGY Solving this problem is just a matter of substituting known quantities into
the two force laws and then finding the ratio.
SOLUTION

(a) Compute the magnitudes of the electric and gravitational forces, and find the
ratio Fe/Fg.
Substitute |q1| = |q2| = e and the distance into Coulomb's law to find the electric force.

ke |e|2
r2

=
8.99 109
N m2
C2

Fe =

1.6 1019 C
2

5.3 1011 m
2

= 8.2 10-8 N
Substitute the masses and distance into Newton's law of gravity to find the
gravitational force.
 Gmemp
Fg =
r2

6.67 10-11
N m2
kg2

9.11 1031 kg
=

1.67 1027 kg

5.3 1011 m
2

= 3.6 10-47 N
Find the ratio of the two forces.

Fe
Fg
= 2.3 1039

(b) Compute the acceleration of the electron caused by the electric force. Repeat for
the gravitational acceleration.

Use Newton's second law and the electric force found in part (a).

Fe
me
meae = Fe ae = =
8.2 108 N
9.11 1031 kg
= 9.0 1022 m/s2
Use Newton's second law and the gravitational force found in part (a).

Fg
me
meag = Fg ag = =
3.6 1047 N
9.11 1031 kg
= 4.0 10-17 m/s2
LEARN MORE
REMARKS The gravitational force between the charged constituents of
the atom is negligible compared with the electric force between them. The
electric force is so strong, however, that any net charge on an object
quickly attracts nearby opposite charges, neutralizing the object. As a
result, gravity plays a greater role in the mechanics of moving objects in
everyday life.

QUESTION If the distance between two charges is doubled, by what

factor is the magnitude of the electric force changed?

Fe final
Fe, initial

=
PRACTICE IT

Use the worked example above to help you solve this problem. The electron and
proton of a hydrogen atom are separated by a distance of about 5.88 10-11 m at
some instant.
(a) Find the magnitudes of the electric force and the gravitational force that each
particle exerts on the other, and the ratio of the electric force, Fe, to the gravitational
force, Fg.

Fe = N

Fg = N
Fe/Fg =

(b) Compute the acceleration caused by the electric force of the proton on the
electron. Repeat for the gravitational acceleration.

ae = m/s2

ag = m/s2
EXERCISEHINTS: GETTING STARTED | I'M STUCK!
(a) Find the magnitude of the electric force between two protons separated by 1
femtometer (1015m), approximately the distance between two protons in the nucleus
of a helium atom.

(b) If the protons were not held together by the strong nuclear force, what would be
their initial acceleration due to the electric force between them?

m/s2

2.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.AE.005. [3500713]

EXAMPLE 15.5Electric Field Due to Two Point Charges

The resultant electric field at P equals the vector sum 1 + , where

2 1 is the field due to the positive charge q1and
2 is the field due to the negative charge q2.

GOAL Use the superposition principle to calculate the electric field due to two point
charges.

PROBLEM Charge q1 = 7.00 C is at the origin, and charge q2 = -5.00 C is on the x-

axis, 0.300 m from the origin.
(a) Find the magnitude and direction of the electric field at point P, which has
coordinates (0, 0.400) m. (b) Find the force on a charge of 2.00 10-8 C placed
at P.

STRATEGY Follow the problem-solving strategy, finding the electric field at

point P due to each individual charge in terms of x- and y-components, then adding the
components of each type to get the x- and y-components of the resultant electric field
at P. The magnitude of the force in part (b) can be found by simply multiplying the
magnitude of the electric field by the charge.
SOLUTION

(A) Calculate the electric field at P.

Find the magnitude of 1 :

|q1| (7.00 10-6 C)

E1 = ke = (8.99 109 N m2/C2)
r1 2 (0.400 m)2
= 3.93 105 N/C

The vector 1 is vertical, making an angle of 90 with respect to the positive x-axis.
Use this fact to find its components:
E1x = E1 cos (90) = 0
E1y = E1 sin (90) = 3.93 105 N/C

Next, find the magnitude of 2 :

|q2| (5.00 10-6 C)

E2 = ke = (8.99 109 N m2/C2)
r2 2 (0.500 m)2
= 1.80 105 N/C

Obtain the x-component of 2 , using the triangle in the figure to find cos :

adj 0.300
cos = = = 0.600
hyp 0.500
E2x = E2 cos = (1.80 105 N/C)(0.600)
= 1.08 105 N/C
Obtain the y-component in the same way, but a minus sign has to be provided for
sin because this component is directed downwards:

opp 0.400
sin = = = 0.800
hyp 0.500
E2y = E2 sin = (1.80 105 N/C)(-0.800)
= -1.44 105 N/C
Sum the x-components to get the x-component of the resultant vector:
Ex = E1x + E2x = 0 + 1.08 105 N/C = 1.08 105N/C

Sum the y-components to get the y-component of the resultant vector:

Ey = E1y + E2y = 3.93 105 N/C - 1.44 105 N/C

Ey = 2.49 105 N/C

Use the Pythagorean theorem to find the magnitude of the resultant vector:
E=

Ex2 + Ey2
= 2.71 105 N/C

The inverse tangent function yields the direction of the resultant vector:
 Ey 2.49 105 N/C
= tan -1
( )= tan ( 1.08
Ex
-1
105 N/C ) = 66.6

(B) Find the force on a charge of 2.00 10-8 C placed at P.

Calculate the magnitude of the force (the direction is the same as that of because the
charge is positive):

F = Eq = (2.71 105 N/C)(2.00 10-8 C) =5.42 10-3 N

LEARN MORE

REMARKS There were numerous steps to this problem, but each was very short.
When attacking such problems, it's important to focus on one small step at a time. The
solution comes not from a leap of genius, but from the assembly of a number of
relatively easy parts.

QUESTION Suppose q2 were moved slowly to the right. What would happen to the
angle ?

It would increase. It would decrease. It would remain the same. It would

first increase and then decrease. It would first decrease and then increase.
PRACTICE IT

Use the worked example above to help you solve this problem. Charge q1 = 6.80 C is
at the origin, and charge q2 = -5.25 C is on the x-axis, 0.300 m from the origin (see
figure).
(a) Find the magnitude and direction of the electric field at point P, which has
coordinates (0, 0.400) m.

magnitude N/C

direction counterclockwise from the +x-axis

(b) Find the force on a charge of 2.00 10-8 C placed at P.

EXERCISEHINTS: GETTING STARTED | I'M STUCK!

(a) Place a charge of -8.40 C at point P and find the magnitude and direction of the
electric field at the location of q2 due to q1 = 6.80 C and the charge at P.
magnitude N/C

direction counterclockwise from the +x-axis

(b) Find the magnitude and direction of the force on q2.

magnitude N

direction counterclockwise from the +x-axis

3.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.MC.003. [3500887]
The magnitude of the electric force between two protons is 2.3 10-26 N. How far
apart are they?

0.0057 m 0.10 m 0.48 m 3.1 m 0.022 m

4.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.MC.008. [3501017]

Two point charges attract each other with an electric force of magnitude F. If one
charge is reduced to one-third its original value and the distance between the charges
is doubled, what is the resulting magnitude of the electric force between them?

F/3 3F/2 F/6 F/12 3F/4

5.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.MC.010. [3500886]

What happens when a charged insulator is placed near an uncharged metallic object?

The charged insulator always spontaneously discharges. They attract each

other. They exert no electrostatic force on each other. They may attract or
repel each other, depending on whether the charge on the insulator is positive or

negative. They repel each other.

6.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.MC.011. [3500963]

What prevents gravity from pulling you through the ground to the center of Earth?
Choose the best answer.

The density of matter is too great. Atoms are bound together by chemical

bonds. Electrons on the ground's surface and the surface of your feet repel one

another. The positive nuclei of your body's atoms repel the positive nuclei of the

atoms of the ground. The density of the ground is greater than the density of your
body.
7.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.AF.006. [3500737]
Active Figure 15.6Coulomb's Law
InstructionsUse the following Active Figure to complete the exercise. Click on one
of the charges and move it with your mouse to change the separation distance.

Display in a New WindowEXPLORE

Two charged particles, Q1 and Q2, each carrying the elementary charge
of 1.6 1019 C, are a distance of 10.55 1012 m apart.

(A) Find the force that Q1 exerts onQ2.

(B) Find the force that Q2 exerts onQ1.

(C) If the distance between the charges is increased to 2.4 times their initial
separation, how is the force between them changed?

CONCEPTUALIZE
Use the Active Figure to visualize the situation. The two charges are a specified
distance apart, exerting forces on each other that are proportional to the product of
their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
The direction of the force is along the line joining the particles.

CATEGORIZE
This is a problem in applying Coulomb's law to calculate the electric force between two
charges.
ANALYZE
(A) Find the force that Q1 exerts on Q2.The force of the first charge on the second
charge, displaced by from it, is

12 = ke q1q2
r2
r .
Assume the vector is along the x-axis. The force on the second particle points away
from the first particle, and is repulsive. Evaluate the magnitude of the force as
F12 = (8.99 109 N m2/C2)

(1.6 1019 C)(1.6 1019 C)

(10.55 1012 m)2

= N.

(B) Find the force that Q2 exerts on Q1.

The displacement vector from Q2 to Q1 is in the r direction. Coulomb's law predicts a
force of Q2 exerted by Q1having the same magnitude as in part (A) for the force
of Q1 on Q2 but in the r direction, consistent with Newton's third law.

F21 = N
(C) If the distance between the charges is increased to 2.4 times their initial
separation, how is the force between them changed?Replace r by (2.4)r in Coulomb's
law to obtain

F12,new = ke q1q2
(2.4)2r2
=

F12
(2.4)2

= N.
FINALIZE
Notice the magnitude of the force that results from charges of 1019 C. Does this
suggest that one coulomb is a very small or very large unbalanced charge?

8.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.P.001. [3500930]

A 6.89 nC charge is located 1.94 m from a 4.02 nC point charge.
(a) Find the magnitude of the electrostatic force that one charge exerts on the other.

(b) Is the force attractive or repulsive?

attractive repulsive

9.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.P.004. [3501002]

A small sphere of mass m = 7.30 g and charge q1 = 30.5 nC is attached to the end of
a string and hangs vertically as in the figure. A second charge of equal mass and
charge q2 = 58.0 nC is located below the first charge a distance d = 2.00 cm below
the first charge as in the figure.

(a) Find the tension in the string.

(b) If the string can withstand a maximum tension of 0.180 N, what is the smallest
value d can have before the string breaks?

cm

10.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.P.009. [3500851]

Two small identical conducting spheres are placed with their centers 0.40 m apart. One
is given a charge of 1.2 10-8 C, the other a charge of 2.4 10-8 C.
(a) Find the electrostatic force exerted on one sphere by the other.

magnitude N
direction attractive repulsive
(b) The spheres are connected by a conducting wire. Find the electrostatic force
between the two after equilibrium is reached, where both spheres have the same
charge.

magnitude N
direction attractive repulsive
11.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.P.027.soln. [3500888]
In the figure below, determine the point (other than infinity) at which the total electric
field is zero.

m to the left of 2.5 106 C charge

12.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.P.030. [3500773]

The figure below shows the electric field lines for two point charges separated by a
small distance.

(a) Determine the ratio q1/q2.

(b) What are the signs of q1 and q2?

q1 is positive. q1 is negative. q2 is positive. q2 is negative.

13.-Question DetailsSerCP9 15.P.040. [3500768]
A uniform electric field of magnitude E = 400 N/C makes an angle of = 66.0 with a
plane surface of area A = 3.70 m2 as in the figure below. Find the electric flux through
this surface.
N m2/C