Two charges, one positive and the other negative, are initially 2 cm apart and are then pulled away from each other until they are 8 cm apart. The force between them is now smaller by a factor of

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force between two charges is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. If the distance between the charges is increased by a factor of 4 from 2 cm to 8 cm, the force between them will decrease by a factor of (4^2) = 16. Therefore, the correct answer is C.

Two Charges, One Positive and the Other Negative, Are Initially