Two charged point particles are located at two vertices of an equilateral triang

ID: 2272884 • Letter: T

Question

Two charged point particles are located at two vertices of an equilateral triangle and the electric field is zero at the third vertex. We conclude:

a) the two particles have charges with opposite signs and the same magnitude

b) the two particles have charges with opposite signs and different magnitudes

c) the two particles have identical charges

d) the two particles have charges with the same sign but different mangitudes

e) at least one other charged particle is present

explanation too, please

When only two charges are present, the electric field at the third vertex cannot be zero,

as can be seen by noting that either the x or y components of the field can be cancelled

(by suitably choosing the charges at the other two vertices to be equal or opposite sign),

but not both. Thus another charge is needed to cancel the E field.

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