Forces on a Charge at the Centroid
Interactive Simulation
This simulation demonstrates the forces acting on a charge (Q) placed at the centroid of an equilateral triangle with three identical charges (q) at its vertices.
Charge at A: +q
Charge at B: +q
Charge at C: +q
Charge at centroid: +Q
Results
Distance from centroid to any vertex:
0.00 m
Force magnitude from one vertex charge:
0.00 N
Net force on central charge:
0.00 N
Explanation:
Click "Show Forces" to visualize the forces
Explanation
The example shows three identical charges (q) at the vertices of an equilateral triangle and a charge (Q) at the centroid.
Key Concepts:
Coulomb's Law: The force between two point charges is given by: F = k·q₁·q₂/r² where k = 1/(4πε₀) ≈ 9×10⁹ N·m²/C²
Centroid Distance: In an equilateral triangle with side length l, the distance from any vertex to the centroid is: r = l/√3
Symmetry Principle: Due to the symmetrical arrangement:
- Each vertex charge exerts a force of equal magnitude on the central charge
- The force vectors are at 120° angles to each other
- The vector sum of all three forces is zero
