Consider a (two-dimensional) ring of positive charge, uniformly distributed. The force on a negative charge Q placed at a point P' located a small distance (in the plane of the ring) from the geometric center of the ring acts as if it

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force on a negative charge placed near the center of a uniformly charged ring, in the plane of the ring, does not act along an axial line but rather in the plane of the ring. The charge will be "attracted" or "repelled" depending on the relative positions and nature of the charges, but since the charge is negative and the ring is positively charged, it will be attracted towards the ring. However, the force direction is determined by the distribution of charge around the ring and the position of the charge Q relative to the ring's center, leading to a force component in the plane of the ring. The key here is understanding that the symmetry of the problem changes when the charge is not at the center, leading to a net force in the plane of the ring.

Consider a (Two-Dimensional) Ring of Positive Charge, Uniformly Distributed