Superposition

Fields add up

An interactive lesson with 6 steps, about 5 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Superposition: total field = vector sum of each charge’s field.
• Between like charges there’s a zero-field point, closer to the weaker charge.
• For opposite charges, the zero point lies outside, beyond the weaker charge.

Steps

1. Adding fields
2. Between opposites
3. The balance point
4. Opposite charges
5. Dipoles
6. Beyond the pair