The figure shows electric field lines arising from two small charged particles P and Q. Consider the following two statements: (i) The charge on P is smaller than the charge on Q.
(ii) The electrostatic force on P is smaller than the force on Q.
Which of the above statements are true?
A) Only (i) is true.
B) Only (ii) is true.
C) Both (i) and (ii) are true.
D) Neither (i) nor (ii) is true.

Question

The figure shows electric field lines arising from two small charged particles P and Q. Consider the following two statements: (i) The charge on P is smaller than the charge on Q.
(ii) The electrostatic force on P is smaller than the force on Q.
Which of the above statements are true? 
A) Only (i) is true. 
B) Only (ii) is true. 
C) Both (i) and (ii) are true. 
D) Neither (i) nor (ii) is true.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

From the figure, we can see that the electric field lines are closer together (stronger field) around Q compared to P. This means that Q has a stronger charge than P. Thus, statement (i) is true. However, the electrostatic force depends not only on charge but also on the distance between the particles. Since the distance between the particles is not given, we cannot determine which particle experiences a larger force. Therefore, statement (ii) is not necessarily true, and the best answer is A) Only (i) is true.

The Figure Shows Electric Field Lines Arising from Two Small