Question

How will the electrostatic force between two electric charges change if one charge is doubled and the second charge is tripled?
a. 1/6 times the original force
b. 6 times the original
c. 18 times the original
d. 1/36 of the original

Answer 1

Answer:

b. The force is 6 times the original

Explanation:

Coulomb's Law

The electrostatic force between two charged objects is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the two objects.

Written as a formula:

$\displaystyle F=k\frac{q_1q_2}{d^2}$

Where:

$k=9\cdot 10^9\ N.m^2/c^2$

q1, q2 = the objects' charge

d= The distance between the objects

Suppose one of the charges is doubled, i.e., q1=2q1 and the other charge is tripled (q2'=3q2). The new force F' would be:

$\displaystyle F'=k\frac{(2q_1)(3q_2)}{d^2}$

Operating:

$\displaystyle F'=k\frac{6q_1q_2}{d^2}$

$\displaystyle F'=6\cdot k\frac{q_1q_2}{d^2}$

Substituting the original value of the force:

$F'=6\cdot F$

b. The force is 6 times the original