Two charges separated by one meter exert 1-N forces on each other. If the charges are pushed to 1/4 meter separation, the force on each charge will be
A) 4 N.
B) 1 N.
C) 8 N.
D) 2 N.
E) 16 N.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force between two charges is given by Coulomb's law, which states that the force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the charges. If the distance is reduced to 1/4, the force becomes (1/(1/4)^2) = 16 times stronger, making the new force 16 N.

Two Charges Separated by One Meter Exert 1-N Forces on Each