Three point charges have equal magnitudes, two being positive and one negative. These charges are fixed to the corners of an equilateral triangle, as the drawing shows. The magnitude of each of the charges is 3.5 µC, and the lengths of the sides of the triangle are 2.9 cm. Calculate the magnitude of the net force that each charge experiences.

The magnitude of the force on positive charges will be and the magnitude of the force on the negative charge is .

Explanation:

Given:

The value of the charges, .

The length of each side of the triangle, .

Consider a equilateral triangle , as shown in the figure. Let two point charges of magnitude are situated at points and and another point charge is situated at point .

The value of the force on the charge at point due to charge at point is given by

The value of the force on the charge at point due to charge at point is given by

The net resultant force on the charge at point is given by

The value of the force on the charge at point due to charge at point is given by

The value of the force on the charge at point due to charge at point is given by

The net resultant force on the charge at point is given by

The value of the force on the charge at point due to charge at point is given by

The value of the force on the charge at point due to charge at point is given by

The net resultant force on the charge at point is given by

Substitute for   , for    and for in equation (1), we have

Substitute for   , for    and for in equation (2), we have

Substitute for   , for    and for in equation (3), we have

0.11 m/s and 0.28 m/s should be correct