Two point charges of values +3.3 and +5.1 μC,respectively,are separated by 0.65 m.What is the potential energy of this 2-charge system? (k_e = 8.99 × 10⁹ N⋅m²/C²) A) +0.5 J B) −0.2 J C) +0.2 J D) −0.8 J E) +0.8 J

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The potential energy (U) of two point charges can be found using the formula:

U = k(q1*q2)/r

where k is the Coulomb constant, q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges, and r is the distance between them.

Plugging in the values, we get:

U = (8.99E9 N*m^2/C^2)(3.3E-6 C)(5.1E-6 C)/(0.65 m)

U = 0.226 J

However, since the question asks for the potential energy of the system (not just one charge), we need to multiply by 2:

U = 2(0.226 J) = 0.452 J

Rounding to one significant figure, the answer is C) +0.2 J.

Two Point Charges of Values +3