Question

a positive particle is placed a certain distance away from a positive stationary charge. if the particle moves toward the stationary charge due to the action of an outside force, does it experience an increase or a decrease in potential energy?

Answer 1

A positive particle placed a certain distance away from a positive stationary charge will experience a decrease in potential energy as it moves toward the stationary charge due to the action of an outside force.

Step-by-step explanation:

A positive particle placed a certain distance away from a positive stationary charge will experience a decrease in potential energy as it moves toward the stationary charge due to the action of an outside force.

When the positive particle moves closer to the positive stationary charge, the potential energy of the system decreases. This is because the charges are of the same type and, therefore, have the same sign. As the distance between the charges decreases, the potential energy increases.

In summary, when a positive particle moves toward a positive stationary charge, it experiences a decrease in potential energy.