Phy213: General Physics III 1/25/2021

Chapter 21 Worksheet 1
Coulomb’s Law & Electric Fields:
1. Consider a fixed point charge of +1.5 C (q1). A 2nd charge of -0.5 C (q2) is placed at a
distance of 0.5 m from q 1.
q1 = +1.5 C q2 = -0.5 C

d = 0.5 m
a. What is the magnitude and direction of the electric force exerted on q 2 due to q1?
Ans.

 qq  1.5×10 C   0.5×10 C  ˆi=-0.0270N ˆi

-6 -6


FE= -k 1 2 2 ˆi=- 8.99×109 N×m2

C2
 0.5m
2
d

b. A 3rd charge of -1.0 C (q3) is placed 0.25 m directly to the right of q 2. What is the
magnitude and direction of the electric force exerted on q 3?
Ans.
q1 = +1.5 C q2 = -0.5 C
q3 = -1.0 C
  qq qq 
FE=  -k 12 3 + k 22 3  ˆi = d = .25 m
 d13 d2 3  d = 0.5 m

  1.5×10-6C 0.5×10-6C     ˆi =0.0479N ˆi


FE= 8.99×109 N×m2
 1.0×10 C  -
-6

  0.75m 2
+
 0.25m 
C2 2
 
c. If q3 is exactly halfway between q1 and q2, what is the magnitude and direction of the electric
force exerted on q3?
q1 = +1.5 C q3 q2 = -0.5 C
Ans.
 qq d = .25 m d = .25 m
 qq 
FE=  -k 12 3 - k 22 3  ˆi =
 d13 d2 3 
  1.5×10-6C    0.5×10 C   ˆi = -0.288N ˆi
-6


FE= 8.99×109 N×m2
 1.0×10 C  -
-6
 -
  0.25m  0.25m 
C2 2 2
 
d. If q3 is moved 0.3 m downward but still equidistant to q 1 and q2, what is the magnitude and
direction of the electric force exerted on q 3?
Fq1
Ans.
1

 q 2 q3
FE= k 23  q1cos1+q2cos2  ˆi +  q1cos1+q2cos2   ˆj= F
d   q2

   
-1.0×10-6C  1.5×10 C+0.5×10 C cos 50.2 ˆi 
-6 -6 o
  

FE= 8.99×10 C2 9 N×m2
  

 0.391m + 1.5×10-6C-0.5×10-6C sin 50.2o ˆj   
2


FE= -0.075N ˆi + 0.045N ˆj
Phy213: General Physics III 1/25/2021
Chapter 21 Worksheet 2
e. Where would q3 need to be placed such that there is no electrical force acting on the charge?
Ans. {Assume all charge positions are referenced to the origin at q 3}
  qq qq   qq qq 
FE=  -k 21 3 - k 22 3  ˆi +  -k 21 3 - k 22 3  ˆj= 0 N ˆi + 0.0 N ˆj
 dx 13 dx 2 3   dy 13 dy 2 3 

q1q3 qq dx 2 3 d2 q2
in x: k 2
= k 22 3  = 2x 2 3 = = 0.58
dx 13 dx 2 3 dx 13 dx 13 q1
 
when xq1 = -0.75 mˆi then xq2 = -0.43 mˆi

q1q3 q2q3 dy 2 3 d2y 2 3 q2

in y: k 2 = k 2  = 2 = = 0.58
dy 13 dy 2 3 dy 13 dy 13 q1
 
when yq1 = +0.75 m ˆj then y q2 = +0.43 m ˆj

2. Consider a simple model of an atomic nucleus. In this case, three protons are present in the
nucleus of a lithium atom, forming an equilateral triangle. The distance, r, between each pair of
protons is 1.5 x 10-15 m.
Lithium Nucleus r
+ +
a. What is the magnitude of the electric force exerted between 60 o

any two of the protons?

 e2  1.602×10 C  -19
2
ĵ î +
Ans. FE = k 2 = 8.99×109 N×m 2
 = 103N 
C2
 1.5×10 m
2
d -15
F1 
F2
30o
b. What is the magnitude and direction of the total electric force

exerted on a proton (due to its neighboring protons). You will FE
need to assign an appropriate coordinate system.
Ans. Using the bottom charge as a reference and applying the Law of Cosines to the forces:
2 2 2
  e2   e2   e2 
FE = k 2  + k 2  - 2  k 2  cos150o = 178 N
 d   d   d 
Applying the Law of Sines to obtain the direction of the resultant force:
sinF sin 120o  sin 120o 
E
=  sinF =103N   = 0.501
103N 178 N E
 178 N 
 
F =sin-1  0.501 =30o south of -ˆi or 210o w/r to ˆi
E

c. Express the total electric force vector, in component form.

Ans. Using the bottom charge as a reference:
e2
  1 + cos60  ˆi + 

FE= -k 2 o
sin60o ˆj= -155 N ˆi - 89.2 N ˆj
d
d. What is the net force acting on the subject proton in (b) & (c)? Explain.
Phy213: General Physics III 1/25/2021
Chapter 21 Worksheet 3
Ans. Since the protons are fixed (static equilibrium), there must be at least 1 additional force
acting on each nucleon to oppose the net electric (net) force:
  
FNet= FE+F??= 0 N ˆi + 0 N ˆj
This is was the justification for proposing a “strong nuclear force” within the nucleus!
3. Consider the “Bohr Model” of the atom, where an electron moves around a proton in a
circular orbit. Assume that the proton and electron are separated by a distance, r, of 5.29x10 -11
m.

proton

electron
r = 5.29x10-11 m

a. What is the magnitude and direction of the electric

force exerted on electron?

 1.602×10 C 
2
-19
 e2
Ans. 
FE = k 2 = 8.99×109
2
N×m
 = 8.24×10-8N
C2
 5.29×10 m
2
d -11

b. What is the centripetal force exerted on the electron such that it maintains this orbit?
  
Ans. Fnet = Fc = FE = 8.24×10-8N

c. What is the speed of the electron?

Ans.

 8.24×10 N  5.29×10 
2
 mv2 Fc r -8 -11
m
Fc = = 8.24×10-8N  v= = -31
= 2.19×106 m
s
r m 9.11×10 kg
d. What is the kinetic and potential energy, respectively, for the electron in J and eV?
Ans.
mv2
K= = 2.18×10-18 J = 13.6 eV
2

  
U= FE  r  cos 180o = - 8.24×10-8N 5.29×10-11m = -4.36×10-18 J = -27.2 eV
e. What is the total energy of the electron in J and eV?
Ans.

Etot = K + U = 2.18×10-18J + -4.36×10-18J = -2.18×10-18 J 
or
Etot = K + U = 13.6 eV - 27.2 eV = -13.6 eV
f. Calculate the orbital radius for an electron with a total energy (K+U) of -3.40 eV.
Phy213: General Physics III 1/25/2021
Chapter 21 Worksheet 4
Ans.
Etot = K + U = -3.40 eV = -5.45×10-19J
mv2  mv2  mv2 
Etot = + FE  r  cos 180o = +  o
  r  cos 180 =
2 2  r 
2 2
mv mv
Etot = - mv2 = - = -5.45×10-19J
2 2
2 -18
or mv = 1.09×10 J
 
since Fc = FE you can solve for r:

 8.99×10   1.602×10 
2
9 Jm2 -19
mv2 e2 e2 C2
C
=k 2 r=k = = 2.12×10-10m
r r mv2  1.09×10 J -18

4. What is the total electric charge of 1.0 moles of electrons?

Ans. 
Q = Ne = 6.022×1023 electrons
mol   1.602×10 -19 C
electron  = 96400 C
mol

5. How many electrons are present in -1.5 C?

Ans.

N=
Q
=
1.5×10-6C   = 9.36  1012 electrons
e 
1.602×10-19 electron
C

or

n=
 1.5×10 C 
-6

= 1.56×10-11 mol
96400 C
mol