Question

How much work must be done to bring three electrons from a great distance apart to 2.5×10−10 m from one another (at the corners of an equilateral triangle)?

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

Given

Distance between two electrons arranged in equilateral triangle geometry is

`a=2.5* 10^(-10)\ m`

Potential Energy Between two system

`U=(kq_1q_2)/(r)`

where
`q_1` and
`q_2` are charges and r is the distance between them

For three Charges Potential Energy is given by

`U=k\left ( (q_1q_2)/(r_(12))+(q_2q_3)/(r_(23))+(q_1q_3)/(r_(13))\right )`

`q_1=q_2=q_3=1.6* 10^(-19)\ C`

`r_(12)=r_(23)=r_(13)`

`U=3* \left ( (9* 10^9\cdot (1.6* 10^(-19))^2)/((2.5* 10^(-10)))\right )`

`=27.648* 10^(-19)\ J`