20.2 Calculate the net electrostatio force that \( A \) and \( B \) exert on \( C \).
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To calculate the net electrostatic force that charges \( A \) and \( B \) exert on charge \( C \), you first need to determine the individual forces using Coulomb's Law, which states that the force \( F \) between two point charges is given by: \[ F = k \frac{|q_1 q_2|}{r^2} \] where \( k \) is Coulomb's constant (\( 8.99 \times 10^9 \, \text{N m}^2/\text{C}^2 \)), \( q_1 \) and \( q_2 \) are the magnitudes of the charges, and \( r \) is the distance between them. Once you find \( F_{AC} \) (the force exerted by \( A \) on \( C \)) and \( F_{BC} \) (the force exerted by \( B \) on \( C \)), you can determine the direction of these forces based on the signs of the charges. The net force is found by vectorially adding \( F_{AC} \) and \( F_{BC} \). From here, remember that forces acting in the same direction will add together, while forces acting in opposite directions will subtract. Lastly, make sure to double-check your distances and charge values, as miscalculations can significantly alter your results. Keeping track of the signs for attraction and repulsion based on charge polarity is essential for accurate computations!