A positive charge q1 is located to the left of a negative ch

A positive charge +q1 is located to the left of a negative charge ?q2. On a line passing through the two charges, there are two places where the total potential is zero. The first place is between the charges and is 3.10 cm to the left of the negative charge. The second place is 7.80 cm to the right of the negative charge.

(a) What is the distance between the charges?__________m

(b) Find |q₁|/|q₂|, the ratio of the magnitudes of the charges.

Solution

because we know that if potational = 0

so we assume that distance between two charge =r

so k*q1/(r-.031)=kq2/(.031) (1)

and k*q1/(r+.078)=kq2/(.078) (2)

a) to solve both eq. we find that r=10.2cm

b) and |q1|/|q2|=2.31