Some air filters contain a small component that maintains a constant negative charge Q. Particles near this component are attracted through the coulomb force. Consider a single, neutral, particle a distance d from the air filter component. The distance d is much larger than the size of the particle. A carbon atom in the particle has polarizability α.

A. Calculate the magnitude of the electric force on an atom in the particle. Explain your steps clearly and pay

particular attention to defining any additional algebraic symbols so that we can follow your reasoning. If

you make an assumption please state them explicitly.

B. If the charge on the air filter Q had been positive instead of negative, how would the electric force on the

particle change? Would anything about this problem change?