Question

If the distance between two charges is doubled, what happens to the potential energy?

1) The potential energy remains the same
2) The potential energy becomes half
3) The potential energy becomes double
4) The potential energy becomes four times

Answer 1

When the distance between two charges is doubled, the potential energy between them decreases by a factor of four.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the distance between two charges is doubled, the potential energy between them decreases. Specifically, the potential energy becomes four times smaller.

The potential energy between two charges is given by the equation:

U = k(q1q2)/r

Where U is the potential energy, k is Coulomb's constant, q1 and q2 are the charges, and r is the distance between the charges. When the distance becomes doubled, the denominator in the equation becomes twice as large, leading to a potential energy that is one-fourth of the original value.