Final answer:
The acceleration of a charged particle due to the Coulomb force depends on both the charge of the particle and its mass, in accordance with Coulomb's law and Newton's second law of motion. The correct option is D) The acceleration depends on both the charge and the mass.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on Coulomb's law, the acceleration of a charged particle due to the Coulomb force depends on both the charge of the particle and the mass of the particle. The law states that the electrostatic force (F) between charged objects is directly proportional to the product of the charges (q1 and q2) and inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r) between them, mathematically expressed as F = k|q1 q2|/r², where k is Coulomb's constant.
Newton's second law of motion, F = ma (force equals mass times acceleration), can be used to find the acceleration. Therefore, the acceleration (a) is found by rearranging Newton's second law to a = F/m. Since F is dependent on the charge, the acceleration is dependent on the charge. It is also inversely dependent on the mass, as it is in the denominator of the expression for acceleration. Thus, answer D is correct: the acceleration depends on both the charge and the mass.