Two point charges of equal sign but unequal magnitude are fixed on the x-axis in…
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Electric Charges and Fields · Electric Charges and Fields
Problem
Two point charges of equal sign but unequal magnitude are fixed on the x-axis in otherwise empty space. A charge of +Q is located at x=0cm and a charge of +2Q is located at x=12cm. Three small labeled points lie on the x-axis: point A at x=−6cm, point B at x=6cm, and point C at x=24cm. A positive test charge is used to probe the electric field at each labeled point.
Answer all parts qualitatively—no numerical calculations of field magnitude are required.
(a) Rank the magnitudes of the net electric field at points A, B, and C from greatest to least. If any points tie, indicate that explicitly.
(b) For point B, state the direction of the net electric field along the x-axis (toward the left, toward the right, or zero).
(c) Provide a clear, logical explanation for both your magnitude ranking in part (a) and your direction choice in part (b). Your explanation should explicitly reference the relative distances from each source charge and the principle that governs the combination of their individual fields.