After contact, the spheres are moved apart. As the distance...

Name: Problem 88, Chapter 8: Let's Review Regents: Physics—Physical Setting
Uploaded: 2022-02-03T03:25:22-08:00
Duration: 40 s
Channel: Stephen Zaffke
Description: After contact, the spheres are moved apart. As the distance between the spheres is increased, the electric potential energy of the system (A) decreases (B) increases (C) remains the same Base your answers to questions 89 through 93 on the diagram below, which shows three small metal spheres with different charges.

After contact, the spheres are moved apart. As the distance between the spheres is increased, the electric potential energy of the system (A) decreases (B) increases (C) remains the same Base your answers to questions 89 through 93 on the diagram below, which shows three small metal spheres with different charges.

After contact, the spheres are moved apart. As the distance between the spheres is increased, the electric potential energy of the system
(A) decreases
(B) increases
(C) remains the same
Base your answers to questions 89 through 93 on the diagram below, which shows three small metal spheres with different charges.

Labs

Want to see this concept in action?

NEW

Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.

View Labs

Key Concepts

Coulomb’s Law and Inverse Distance Relationship

Coulomb’s law governs the force between two point charges and is directly related to electric potential energy. It states that the force is proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Consequently, the potential energy, which varies as 1/r, changes as the distance between charges increases or decreases. This inverse relationship explains how altering the separation affects the energy stored in the system.

Charge Redistribution upon Contact

When conductive objects come into contact, charge redistributes between them until their potentials equalize. This redistribution affects the magnitude of the charges on the objects once they are separated, which in turn influences the electric potential energy of the system. Understanding how charge sharing alters the system is key to predicting changes in energy as the objects are moved apart.

Electric Potential Energy

Electric potential energy is the energy stored in a system due to the positions of charged objects relative to one another. It depends on the magnitudes of the charges and the distance between them, as described by the formula U = k(q1q2)/r for point charges. This concept is central in understanding how work is done when charges are moved in an electric field.

Transcript

Please give Ace some feedback