An alpha particle (the nucleus of a helium atom) has a mass of 6.64 ×10^-27 kg and a charge of +

step 1 So the vertical equilibrium forces leads to the equality, which is Q times absolute value of the

An alpha particle (the nucleus of a helium atom) has a mass...

An alpha particle (the nucleus of a helium atom) has a mass of $6.64 \times 10^{-27} \mathrm{kg}$ and a charge of $+2 e .$ What are the (a) magnitude
and (b) direction of the electric field that will balance the gravitational force on the particle?

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Key Concepts

Force Equilibrium

Force equilibrium occurs when the net force acting on an object is zero, meaning that all the forces balance each other out. In this context, the electric force must exactly counteract the gravitational force, ensuring the alpha particle remains stationary.

Relationship between Electric Field and Charge

This concept involves understanding that the electric field can be determined by dividing the force experienced by a charged particle by its charge. To balance gravitational force, this relationship is used to set the electric force equal to the gravitational force, highlighting the direct proportionality between the electric field strength and the force acting on the charge.

Gravitational Force

Gravitational force refers to the attractive force exerted by the Earth on any mass, which is calculated as the product of the mass of the object and the acceleration due to gravity. This force determines the weight of the object and acts in a downward direction towards the center of the Earth.

Electric Force

Electric force is the force experienced by a charged particle when placed in an electric field, and it is given by the product of the charge and the electric field. The direction of this force depends on the sign of the charge relative to the direction of the electric field.

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