Two charges separated by 1 m exert a 1.0-N force on each other. If the charges are pushed to 0.25-m separation, the force on each charge will be
A)1 N.
B)2 N.
C)4 N.
D)8 N.
E)16 N.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force between two charges is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them (Coulomb's Law). Reducing the distance to 0.25 m (1/4 of the original distance) increases the force by a factor of (1/0.25)^2 = 16.

Two Charges Separated by 1 M Exert a 1