Interactive LearningWare 18.2 provides one approach to solving problems such as this one. The drawing shows three point charges fixed in place. The charge at the coordinate origin has a value of q1 = +11.6C; the other two have identical magnitudes, but opposite signs: q2 = -4.87C and q3 = +4.87C.
(a) Determine the net force exerted on q1 by the other two charges.
(b) If q1 had a mass of 1.50 g and it were free to move, what would be its acceleration?