An electric dipole has the magnitude of its charge as q and its dipole moment is p. It is placed in a uniform electric field E. If its dipole moment is along the direction of the field, the force on it and its potential energy are respectively :

Explanation

An electric dipole in a uniform electric field experiences no net force when its dipole moment is aligned with the field direction because the forces on the positive and negative charges cancel each other out. Thus, the force is zero. The potential energy of a dipole in an electric field is given by -pEcos(θ), where θ is the angle between the dipole moment and the electric field. When the dipole is aligned with the field (θ = 0), cos(θ) = 1, making the potential energy -pE, which is the minimum value. Hence, the correct answer is zero force and minimum potential energy. Other options are incorrect as they either suggest a non-zero force or incorrect potential energy values.