Three point charges are positioned on the x axis.If the charges and corresponding positions are -25.0 µC at x = 0.00 cm,-50.0 µC at x = 30.0 cm,and +100.0 µC at x = 80.0 cm,what is the magnitude of the electrostatic force on the -25.0 -µC charge?
A)89.7 N
B)160 N
C)8.97 mN
D)16.0 mN
E)0 N

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force on the -25.0 µC charge due to each of the other charges can be calculated using Coulomb's law, $F = k \frac{|q_1 q_2|}{r^2}$, where $k = 8.987 \times 10^9 \, \text{N m}^2/\text{C}^2$, $q_1$ and $q_2$ are the magnitudes of the charges, and $r$ is the distance between them. The forces due to the -50.0 µC and +100.0 µC charges need to be calculated separately and then added vectorially, considering their directions. The calculation shows that the resultant force magnitude is 89.7 N, indicating that option A is correct.

Three Point Charges Are Positioned on the X Axis