State the principle of superposition.
The superposition principle states that for a linear force system, the resultant force acting on a body is equal to the vector sum of all the individual stimulus. In Coulomb’s law the stimulus would be electrostatic force which depends upon the magnitude of charge and the distance between two charges.
The superposition principle is helpful when there are large number of charges in a system. Let’s consider the following case,
For our convenience let us consider one positive charge, and two negative charges exerting a force on it, from the superposition theorem we know that the resultant force is the vector sum of all the forces acting on the body, therefore the force Fr , the resultant force can be given as follows,
Fr−→ = 14π∈[Qq1r212r^12 + Qq2r213r^13]
Where,
r^12 and r^13 are the unit vectors along the direction of q1 and q2.
∈ is the permittivity constant for the medium in which the charges are placed in.
Q, q1 and q2 are the magnitude of the charges respectively.
r12 and r13 are the distances between the charges Q and q1 & Q and q2 respectively.
OR
As per the principle of superposition, the force on any charge due to a number of other charges is the vector sum of all the forces on that charge due to other charges, taken one at a time.
The superposition principle states that for a linear force system, the resultant force acting on a body is equal to the vector sum of all the individual stimulus. In Coulomb’s law the stimulus would be electrostatic force which depends upon the magnitude of charge and the distance between two charges.
The superposition principle is helpful when there are large number of charges in a system. Let’s consider the following case,
For our convenience let us consider one positive charge, and two negative charges exerting a force on it, from the superposition theorem we know that the resultant force is the vector sum of all the forces acting on the body, therefore the force Fr , the resultant force can be given as follows,
Fr−→ = 14π∈[Qq1r212r^12 + Qq2r213r^13]
Where,
r^12 and r^13 are the unit vectors along the direction of q1 and q2.
∈ is the permittivity constant for the medium in which the charges are placed in.
Q, q1 and q2 are the magnitude of the charges respectively.
r12 and r13 are the distances between the charges Q and q1 & Q and q2 respectively.
OR
As per the principle of superposition, the force on any charge due to a number of other charges is the vector sum of all the forces on that charge due to other charges, taken one at a time.
