Final answer:
The total potential energy stored by four point charges in a square configuration with a side length of 4 cm can be calculated using the equation (1/4πε0) * q1 * q2 / r. Each point charge is 0.8 nC and the distance between them is found using the Pythagorean theorem. Substituting the values and simplifying, the total potential energy is 0.1 J.
Step-by-step explanation:
The total potential energy stored by four point charges in a square configuration can be calculated using the equation:
Potential Energy = (1/4πε0) * q1 * q2 / r
Where ε0 is the permittivity of free space, q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges, and r is the distance between them.
In this case, each point charge is 0.8 nC and the side of the square is 4 cm. Since the charges are at the corners of the square, the distance between them is equal to the length of the diagonal, which can be found using the Pythagorean theorem.
Diagonal = √(Side2 + Side2) = √(42 + 42) = √32 = 4√2 cm
Substituting the values into the equation:
Potential Energy = (1/4πε0) * (0.8 nC) * (0.8 nC) / (4√2 cm)
Simplifying and converting units:
Potential Energy = 0.1 J
Therefore, the total potential energy stored by the four point charges in this configuration is 0.1 J.