1. What is the Electric Field from Two Charges?

The electric field from two point charges is the vector sum of the fields produced by each individual charge. This calculator computes the magnitude of the electric field at a point in space due to two point charges.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Coulomb's Law for each charge and sums the results:

Where:

• \( E \) — Total electric field (V/m)
• \( E_1, E_2 \) — Fields from each charge (V/m)
• \( k \) — Coulomb's constant (8.988×10⁹ N·m²/C²)
• \( q_1, q_2 \) — Point charges (Coulombs)
• \( r_1, r_2 \) — Distances from charges (meters)

Note: This calculates the magnitude only. For vector sum, direction information would be needed.

3. Importance of Electric Field Calculation

Details: Electric field calculations are fundamental in electromagnetism, helping understand forces on charges, capacitor design, and electromagnetic wave propagation.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter charges in Coulombs (can be positive or negative) and distances in meters. The calculator returns field magnitudes in volts per meter (V/m).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What if the charges have opposite signs?
A: This calculator gives field magnitudes. For opposite charges, the actual field would be the vector difference, not sum.

Q2: What are typical electric field values?
A: Near small charges: 10-1000 V/m. Lightning fields can exceed 1 MV/m. Household fields are typically 1-10 V/m.

Q3: Does distance affect field strength?
A: Yes, field strength follows inverse square law - doubling distance reduces field to 1/4 strength.

Q4: Can I use this for continuous charge distributions?
A: No, this is for point charges only. Continuous distributions require integration.

Q5: What about the direction of the field?
A: This calculator gives magnitude only. Direction depends on charge signs and spatial arrangement.