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Several Charges

Part of the Electricity and Magnetism section of Coddy's Physics journey. Lesson 3 of 51.

With several charges around it, a charge feels each force as if the others were not there. Their sum is the net force.

A charge with two others around it

Draw each force, choose axes and add the parts along each: the sums are Fx\relax F_{x} and Fy\relax F_{y}. The size of the net force:

F=Fx2+Fy2F = \sqrt{F_x^2 + F_y^2}

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Challenge

Three small positive charges: q₃ = 1 μC1\ \mathrm{\mu C} at a corner, q₁ = 4 μC4\ \mathrm{\mu C} a distance 0.3 m0.3\ \mathrm{m} to its left, and q₂ = 3 μC3\ \mathrm{\mu C} 0.3 m0.3\ \mathrm{m} below it. How big is the net electric force FF on q₃?

Try it yourself

Physics diagram: charge

Solve for FF

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