If there is a proton and two electons, does the charge of the proton(+1) apply fully to both electrons, split?

Question

To put it more clearly here are the conditions and a restated question:

- there are 2 electrons and 1 proton.
- the proton is in between the electrons
- the electrons are equal distance to the proton
- the electron-electron repulsion doesn't matter to me

Diagram:
e- p+ e-

Question: Does the +1 charge of the proton "divide" equally and each electron gets half the force, or does each electron "feel" the entire +1 charge of the proton?

Answer 1

Since e- to e- interatctions don't count, each feels the full force equal to:

F= k q1 q2 /r^2

r is distance apart
q1 and q2 are charges on the electron and proton (-1.6x10^-19C and +1.6x10^-19C)
k is a constant k=8.99x10^8 Nm^2/C^2

So yes, the force on both is the full force of the +1

Answer 2

You can't just ignore the repulsion between electrons, it doesn't work that way. What you are thinking of is "action-at-a-distance" and that is not the way electromagnetism (or any other force) work.

A charge creates an electromagnetic field and another charge reacts to it... So the electron is not reacting to the proton, it is reacting to the [local] electromagnetic field and it doesn't care if the field is created by a proton or a combination of en electron and a proton.
Think of it this way:
Think of the field as a rubber sheet stretched out, think of the proton as a weight and as an electron as a "negative weight" (someone pushing up with a stick from below) Then place a small ball on the mat and the ball will react to the pushing and pulling.
This analogy breaks down --of course-- when you realize that the second electron also creates a field, but it will help you get the idea: the second electron reacts to the rubber sheet, not the proton or the first electron.

-jose-

Answer 3

each electron feels the positive charge of the proton, it sounds like a hydrogen ion so it would have an overall negative charge.

Answer 4

actually no, because protons are made up of quarks (uud) from which it can not be accepted that both of them (electrons) see the same picture
but since this is something hard to calculate (configuration changes with time)
let us accept that both of them see the same picture (the proton) & hence feel the same force

Answer 5

it will have a negative charge since there will be one left over electron.