Electric Fields and Forces (Solutions)

1. Three charges are arranged in the linear isolated configuration seen below.

(a) Find the direction and magnitude of all the electric forces acting in the system.
(b) Rank these electric forces from weakest to strongest.

Solution: Label charges as 1, 2, 3 from left to right and take the x-axis along the line
joining the charges with the positive direction pointing to the right. Denote the force on
charge i due charge j as F⃗ij .

(a) Using Coulomb’s law,

2
F⃗12 = −F⃗21 = 2kq
a2
x̂
⃗ ⃗ kq 2
F13 = −F31 = − 2a2 x̂
2
F⃗23 = −F⃗32 = − kq
a2
x̂

(b) Ranking magnitudes,

F13 (= F31 ) < F32 (= F23 ) < F12 (= F21 )

Check: Net force on 2 should be towards right, on 1, 3 towards left.

2. An isolated system of fixed charges is placed in the configuration as seen below.

(a) Find the electric field (magnitude and direction) at the origin.
(b) Find the net force exerted on the +q charge.

1
Solution:

(a) Using Coulomb’s law, and principle of superposition,

⃗o = E
E ⃗ 1o + E
⃗ 2o + E ⃗ 4o = − kq2 x̂ + 2kq
⃗ 3o + E 2 ŷ
b ra 2  2
−kq
magnitude of E ⃗ o −→ |E⃗ o | ≡ Eo =
b2
+ 2kq
a2
⃗ o −→ ⃗o
E ⃗o
E
direction of E ⃗r ≡ ⃗ o| = Eo
|E

(b) Using principle of superposition,

2
 
F⃗14 = k a22q+b2 − √a2b+b2 x̂ + √ a
a2 +b2
ŷ
q2
F⃗24 = k 4a 2 (ŷ)
 
⃗ q2
F34 = k a2 +b2 √a2b+b2 x̂ + √ a
a2 +b2
ŷ

F⃗ = F⃗14 + F⃗24 + F⃗34

2
3. A thin rod with uniform charge +Q and length L is placed with one end at (0, b) and the
other end at (0, −b).

(a) Find the electric field at the point (a, 0) along the x-axis.
(b) Find the electric field at the point (a, 0) along the x-axis for a ≫ b.
(c) If a point charge +2q is then placed at (a, 0), find the force exerted on the point charge
by the rod

Solution:
dQ Q
(a) • find the charge density: λ = dl = 2b
• take a differential part from the wire: dl = dy
• Write position vector from origin to differential part: ⃗r = y ŷ
and from differential part to point (a, 0): R⃗ = ax̂ − ⃗r = ax̂ − y ŷ
The unit vector R̂ = Ra x̂ − Ry ŷ where R = a2 + y 2
p

• Write electric field created by differential part on (a, 0): dE⃗ = k dQ2 R̂
R
Since λ = dQ Q
dl −→ dQ = λdl = 2b dl
⃗ = kQ dy
Thus we find dE 2b 2 2 3/2 (ax̂ − y ŷ)
(a +y )
• Integrate differential electric field over the thin rod:
Using the evenness and oddness of functions, and their integral properties and
changing the variables with some trigonometric functions,
⃗ = b dE ⃗ = kQ √ 1 x̂
R
E −b a a2 +b2

Check: Is the net E-field in the +x-direction? Note that the rod is symmetric under
reflection wrt xz-plane, i.e. y → −y is a symmetry operation that leaves the charge
distribution unchanged. Therefore the E-field cannot have a y-component.
√ √
(b) Let a ≫ b, then a2 + b2 ≃ a2 = a, if we calculate the electric field, we find
⃗ = kQ 1 x̂ = kQ
E x̂
a a a2
This result is equivalent to an electric field created by a point particle with charge
+Q in (0, 0) at (a, 0)! Check: This is a limiting case and we expect to get the field of
a point-charge in this limit.

3
 2Qq √ 1
(c) F⃗ = (+2q)E ⃗ =
a a2 +b2
x̂
if a ≫ b,
F⃗ = 2Qq
a2
x̂

4. A charge of magnitude +2q is fixed at the origin. A second charge, −q, is fixed at distance
d away from the origin on the positive x-axis. Find the points where the electric field is
zero.

Solution:
Using Coulomb’s law and principle of superposition,
√


the point has coordinates (x, y) = 2 + 2 d, 0

5. Three charges are placed in the configuration shown below. Find the electric field at the
origin.

Solution:
UsingCoulomb’s
√ 
law and
 principle
√ 
of superposition,
⃗o = 1 − 2 kq 2 kq
E 4 a2
x̂ + 1 − 4 a2 ŷ
Check: From symmetry, we expect the E-field at the origin to be along the diagonal, i.e. x-
and y-components must be equal.