Question

Two particles with positive charges q1 and q2 are separated by a distance s.

I got up to here:

(kq1)/x^2 = (kq2)/(s-x)^2

I now have to solve for x by cross multiplying and using the quadratic equation but I can't seem to isolate x without it being canceled out. =S

Answer 1

Well, then, you have a serious math error.
Post it, and we should be able to find it.Start with this:

q1(s-x)^2=q2*x^2

Answer 2

Is it

I keep getting

Kq1x^2 = Kq2x^2 - Kq1s^2

Answer 3

You seem to have left out part of the question. How is x defined? Is it the distance from q1 at which the forces on a third charge cancel?

If so, all you can solve for is x/s (or s/x), not x itself.

q2/q1 = (s-x)^2/x^2 = [(s/x)-1]^2
(s/x) - 1 = sqrt (q2/q1)
s/x = 1 + sqrt (q2/q1)

Answer 4

It says:
Along the line connecting the two charges, at what distance from the charge q1 is the total electric field from the two charges zero?

Answer 5

Can you also help me simply this equation. I'm having so much difficult simplifying questions with mostly variables in it.

1/2*mv^2 = k[(-3q^2/(d/sqrt2))+(5q^2/(d/sqrt2))+(2q^2/(d/sqrt2))- (-3q^2)/d+ 2q^2/d + 5q^2/{(root2)d}]

Answer 6

sorry in that above one i have to isolate for v

Answer 7

I seem to have interpreted the foirst part of your question correctly, so the solution I derived should work..

As for your other question (which should have been posted separately so that more teachers read it), you can simplify by factoring out q^2/d. That will leave you with a bunch of constants to add up inside the parentheses.