Question

You measure a force between 2 charged objects. What happens to that force if the distance between the objects is reduced to ½ of what it was?

Answer 1

If the distance between two charged objects is halved, according to Coulomb's Law, the force between them increases by a factor of four, making it four times greater than before.

Step-by-step explanation:

Coulomb's Law and the Effect of Distance on Force

When considering the force between two charged objects, Coulomb's Law is essential. This law states that the force (F) between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r) between them. The formula is expressed as F = k (q1*q2)/r2, where k is Coulomb's constant (8.99 × 109 N·m2/C2).

If the distance between two charged objects is reduced to half of its original value, the new force becomes inversely proportional to the square of the new distance, which will be (1/2)2 = 1/4 the original distance squared. Therefore, the force increases as the inverse of this value, meaning the force will be quadrupled or 4 times stronger.