A-3.00 nc point charge is at the origin, and a second -5.50 nc point charge is on the x-axis at x = 0.800 m. find the electric field (magnitude and direction) at point on the x-axis at x = 0.200 m.

The electric field produced by a single-point charge is given by

where

k is the Coulomb's constant

q is the charge

r is the distance from the charge

To find the electric field at x=0.200 m, we need to find the electric field produced by each charge at that point, and then find their resultant.

1) The first charge is , and it is located at x=0, so its distance from the point x=0.200 m is

Therefore, the electric field is

And since the charge is negative, the direction of the field is toward the charge, so toward negative x direction.

2) The second charge is and it is located at x=0.800 m, so its distance from the point is

Therefore, the electric field is

And since the charge is negative, the direction of the field is toward the charge, so toward positive x-direction.

3) The total electric field at x=0.200 m will be given by the difference between the two fields (because they are in opposite directions). Taking the x-positive direction as positive direction, we have

and the sign tells us that the field is directed toward negative x-direction.

the electric field is a “force field” around a charged object that illustrates the direction the electric force would push an imaginary