Two charges separated by one meter exert 1-N forces on each other. If the magnitude of each charge is doubled, the force on each charge is
A) 4 N.
B) 8 N.
C) 2 N.
D) 1 N.
E) None of the above choices are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force between two charges is given by Coulomb's law, which states that the force is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. If the magnitude of each charge is doubled, the product of the magnitudes of the charges becomes four times larger (since 2 * 2 = 4), and since the distance does not change, the force becomes four times larger. Therefore, if the original force was 1 N, the new force will be 4 N.

Two Charges Separated by One Meter Exert 1-N Forces on Each