Exploration 22.4: Dipole Symmetry

Please wait for the animation to completely load.

Each animation shows a positive charge (red) along with two unknown charges (blue).  The electrical force on the positive charge is represented with a force vector.  You can drag the red charge along a portion of the x axis (position is given in meters and force is given in [newtons/k], where k is  the constant in Coulomb's law).  Restart.

1. In which animation are the two unknown charges a positive and negative charge of equal magnitude?
2. Qualitatively speaking, what charge configuration would produce the results in the other two animations?
3. For the animation with a positive and a negative charge of equal magnitude, what is the value of the magnitude of the two blue charges if the red charge is 2.5 coulombs?

Exploration authored by Melissa Dancy
Instructor's Resource CD Edition: Do not post or distribute.
The complete version of Physlet Physics is available as a text with CD; Physlet Physics can be bundled with this Prentice Hall textbook.
© 2004 by Prentice-Hall, Inc. A Pearson Company