If the distance between two point charges is halved, the force between them would be _.
Correct answer: D. Four times
- A. Half
- B. Double
- C. One fourth
- D. Four times
Explanation
The force between two point charges is given by Coulomb's law:F = (kq1q2)/r2where F is the force, q1 and q2 are the charges, r is the distance between them, and k is the Coulomb constant.If the distance between the two charges is halved (i.e., r is divided by 2), then the force between them becomes:F' = (kq1q2)/(r/2)2F' = (kq1q2)/(r2/4)F' = 4xkq1q2)/r2 F' = 4FThus, the force between the two charges is quadrupled (i.e., becomes four times as much) if the distance between them is halved
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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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