Question

A proton and an electron are released from rest in the center of a charged capacitor. Fp and Fe are the force on the proton and the electron, respectively, and ap and ae their corresponding accelerations. Which of the following statement is correct about the force (Fp/Fe) and acceleration (ap l ae) ratios?

a. Fp l Fe l > 1 and lap l ael < 1
b. Fp l Fe l = 1 and lap l ael > 1
c. Fp l Fe l = 1 and lap l ael < 1
d. Fp l Fe l > 1 and lap l ael = 1
e. Fp l Fe l < 1 and lap l ael = 1

Answer 1

Correct option; c. Fp l Fe l = 1 and lap l ael < 1.

The forces exerted on the proton and the electron in a charged capacitor are equal, but their accelerations are different due to the difference in their masses.

Step-by-step explanation:

The force exerted on a particle by an electric field is given by F = qE, where F is the force, q is the charge, and E is the electric field. Since the proton and the electron have the same magnitude of charge, the forces acting on them will be the same. However, the accelerations will be different due to the difference in mass.

The proton will have a smaller acceleration compared to the electron because the mass of the proton is larger. Thus, the correct statement about the force (Fp/Fe) and acceleration (ap l ae) ratios is option c. Fp l Fe l = 1 and lap l ael < 1.