Two charges, Q₁ and Q₂, are separated by a certain distance R. If the magnitudes of the charges are doubled and their separation is also doubled, then what happens to the electrical force between these two charges?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The electrical force between two charges is given by Coulomb's law, F = kQ1Q2/R^2, where k is the Coulomb constant. Doubling the magnitudes of the charges means multiplying both charges by 2, resulting in an overall multiplication factor of 4 in the numerator of the formula. Doubling the separation means multiplying the denominator by 4, resulting in an overall multiplication factor of 16 in the denominator of the formula. Therefore, the overall effect is a cancellation of the multiplication factors, resulting in the force remaining the same.

Two Charges, Q1 and Q2, Are Separated by a Certain

Two Charges, Q₁ and Q₂, Are Separated by a Certain