Two parallel plates are placed 1.40 cm apart, creating a uniform electric field

Question

Two parallel plates are placed 1.40 cm apart, creating a uniform electric field of magnitude 450 N/C between the plates. At the same instant in time, a proton is released from rest from the positive plate and an electron is released from rest from the negative plate. If we ignore the electrical attraction between the two particles, at what distance from the positive plate do the particles pass each other? 7.96e-06X Your response is within 10% of the correct value. This may be due to roundoff error, or you could have a mistake in your calculation. Carry out all intermediate results to at least four-digit accuracy to minimize roundoff error. m

Explanation / Answer

Being proton and electron have same magnitude of charge, same amount of force on both electron and proton.

But mass of proton is 1836 times greater than that of electron. So the velocity would be in the ratio of 1 : 1836 for proton and electron.

They meet at a particular time, say t. If x be the distance covered by proton from the plate where from it has started, then x is proportional to 1 and the remaining distance (1.40 - x ) will be proportional to 1836.

So dividing,

x / (1.40 - x) = 1/1836

1837x = 1.40

x = 1.40 / 1837

x = 0.0007621 cm

x = 7.621 x 10^-6 m

So the proton and electron pass each other at a distance 7.621 x 10^-6 m from the proton released

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