In a thunderstorm, charge is separated through a complicated mechanism that is ultimately powered by the Sun. A simplified model of the charge in a thundercloud represents the positive charge accumulated at the top and the negative charge at the bottom as a pair of point charges.

(a) What is the magnitude and direction of the electric field produced by the two point charges at point P, which is just above Earth's surface?
(b) Thinking of Earth as a conductor, what sign of charge would accumulate on the surface near point P? (This accumulated charge increases the magnitude of the electric field near point P.)

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+50 C 10 km| -20 C 2.0 km