Question

A 5.0-μC charge is placed at the 0 cm mark of a meter stick and a -4.0 μC charge is placed at the 50 cm mark. At what point on a line joining the two charges is the electric field zero?

Answer 1

Answer:

The distance from charge 5 μ C = 26.45 cm and the distance from - 4 μ C is 23.55 cm.

Explanation:

Given that

q₁ = 5 μ C

q₂ = - 4 μ C

The distance between charges = 50 cm

d= 50 cm

Lets take at distance x from the charge μ C ,the electrical field is zero.

That is why the distance from the charge - 4 μ C =  50 - x cm

We know that ,electric field is given as

$E=K\dfrac{q}{r^2}$

$K\dfrac{5\ \mu}{x^2}=K\dfrac{4\mu }{(50-x)^2}\\\\\dfrac{5}{x^2}=\dfrac{4 }{(50-x)^2}\\\\\\5(50-x)^2=4x^2\\(50-x)^2=0.8x^2\\\\50-x =0.89x\\\ x=\dfrac{50}{1.89}\ cm\\\\\\x=26.45\ cm$

Therefore the distance from charge 5 μ C = 26.45 cm and the distance from - 4 μ C is 23.55 cm.