Four charges 2C,-3C, -4C and 5C respectively are placed at all the corners of a square. Which of the following statements is true for the point of interaction of the diagonals?
Correct answer: B. Electric field is non-zero but electric potential is zero
- A. Electric field is zero but electric potential is non-zero
- B. Electric field is non-zero but electric potential is zero
- C. Both electric field and electric potential are zero
- D. Neither electric field nor electric potential is zero
Explanation
The point of intersection of the diagonals of the square is equidistant from all the charges at the corners. The electric potential, being a scalar quantity, can add up in a way that results in a net zero potential due to the symmetry of the charge configuration. However, the electric field is a vector quantity, and the net electric field at the center will not be zero because the vectors from different charges do not cancel out completely due to the asymmetrical charge values. Therefore, the electric field remains non-zero at this point.
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Electrostatics describes forces between charges through Coulomb's law, electric fields and field intensity, then uses electric potential to measure energy per unit charge. Capacitors store charge and electrical energy, with capacitance depending on geometry and dielectric material, not simply on the amount of charge present.
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