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Three equal 1.40µC point charges are placed at the corners of an equilateral triangle with sides 0.300 m long. What is the potential energy of the system?

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Final answer:

The potential energy of the system of three equal point charges is approximately 2.32 x 10^-3 J.

Step-by-step explanation:

The potential energy of a system of three equal point charges can be calculated using the formula:

Potential energy = k * Q^2 / r

Where k is the electrostatic constant (8.99 x 10^9 N*m^2/C^2), Q is the charge, and r is the distance between the charges.

In this case, each point charge is 1.40µC and the distance between them is 0.300m.

Plugging these values into the formula, we get:

Potential energy = (8.99 x 10^9 N*m^2/C^2) * (1.40 x 10^-6 C)^2 / 0.300m

Simplifying, we find that the potential energy of the system is approximately 2.32 x 10^-3 J.

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