Is the force acting between two point charges q1 and q2 kept at some distance apart in air attractive or repulsive when q1+q3>0 and q1+q2<0
Answers
Answer: If q1q2 > 0 repulsive force exists
If q1q2 < 0 attractive force exists.
Explanation:
A simple analogy will help us understand this question better.
(i) When two positive numbers are multiplied by each other then the product so obtained by multiplication is also positive.
(ii) When one positive number is multiplied by one negative number, the product so obtained by multiplication is negative.
(iii) When two negative numbers are multiplied by each other, the product so obtained by multiplication is positive.
Analysing the two situations given in the question:
1) If q1q2 > 0 since the product is greater than zero, it means either both the charges are positive or both the charges are negative.
Like charges will repel each other, Hence repulsive force exists.
2) If q1q2 < 0 since the product is smaller than zero, it means one of the charge is positive and the other is negative.
unlike charges will attract each other, Hence attractive force exists.
The force acting between the charges q1 and q2 are attractive and repulsive forces.
- When the product of charges are greater than zero, which means the charges are repealing each other.
- That means the both the charges are like charges.
- When the product of charges are less than zero, which means that the charges are attracting each other, that they are of opposite sign.
- So the charges q1+q3>0 the repulsive force.
- So the charges q1+q2<0 the attractive force.