Question

Suppose an electic field exerts a 4.8 × 10⁻¹⁷ N westward force on an electron. (a) Find the horizontal component of the electric field in N/C, taking east as positive. (b) Find the horizontal component of the force that this field exerts on a proton, taking east to be positive.

Answer 1

• a. The horizontal component of the electric field is 3.0 × 10² N/C westward
• b. The horizontal component of the force exerted on a proton is 3.0 × 10² N/C eastward.

Step-by-step explanation:

(a) To find the horizontal component of the electric field, we can use the equation F = Eq, where F is the force, E is the electric field, and q is the charge.

Since the force is acting westward, the electric field must also be westward.

• Plugging in the given values, we have F = (4.8 × 10⁻¹⁷ N) and q = (1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C) (the charge of an electron).
• Solving for E, we have E = F/q = (4.8 × 10⁻¹⁷ N) / (1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C) = 3.0 × 10² N/C.

(b) The horizontal component of the force exerted on a proton by the same electric field can be found using the equation F = Eq.

Since the force acting on the electron and the proton is in the opposite direction (westward for the electron and eastward for the proton), the magnitude of the force will be the same.

• Plugging in the values, we have F = (4.8 × 10⁻¹⁷ N) and q = (1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C) (the charge of a proton).
• Solving for E, we have E = F/q = (4.8 × 10⁻¹⁷ N) / (1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C) = 3.0 × 10² N/C. The direction of the electric field for a proton is eastward.