Two point charges,Q₁ and Q₂,are separated by a distance R.If the magnitudes of both charges are doubled and their separation is also doubled,what happens to the electrical force that each charge exerts on the other one?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The electrical force between two point charges is given by Coulomb's law, $F = k \frac{|q_1q_2|}{r^2}$, where $q_1$ and $q_2$ are the magnitudes of the charges, $r$ is the distance between them, and $k$ is Coulomb's constant. Doubling both charges and the separation distance results in the force remaining the same because the numerator ($|q_1q_2|$) increases by a factor of 4 while the denominator ($r^2$) also increases by a factor of 4, leaving the force unchanged.

Two Point Charges,Q1 and Q2,are Separated by a Distance R 2\sqrt { 2 }2​

Two Point Charges,Q₁ and Q₂,are Separated by a Distance R $\sqrt { 2 }$