Question

Suppose that the electric field in the Earth's atmosphere is E = 8.60 101 N/C, pointing downward. Determine the electric charge in the Earth. (The radius of the Earth is 6371 km, and the Coulomb's constant, ke, is 8.99 109 N · m2/C2.)

Answer 1

Answer:

q = 3.87 x 10⁵ C

Explanation:

given,

Electric field, E = 8.60 x 10¹ = 86 N/C

radius of earth, R = 6371 Km = 6.371 x 10⁶ m

Coulomb constant, K = 9 x 10⁹ N · m²/C²

Charge on the earth = ?

the electric field at the point

$E =\dfrac{kq}{r^2}$

$q =\dfrac{Er^2}{k}$

inserting all the values

$q =\dfrac{86\times (6.371\times 10^6)^2}{9\times 10^{9}}$

      q = 3.87 x 10⁵ C

The electric charge on the earth is equal to 3.87 x 10⁵ C