Skip to main content
Chemistry LibreTexts

1.3.1: Coulomb's Law and the Electrostatic Potential (Problems)

  • Page ID
    235736
  • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    PROBLEM \(\PageIndex{1}\)

    Would you expect two like charges close together to have a relative potential energy above or below 0?

    Answer

    Like charges should have energies above 0.

    PROBLEM \(\PageIndex{2}\)

    Would you expect two like charges far apart to have a relative potential energy above or below 0?

    Answer

    Like charges should have energies above 0.

    PROBLEM \(\PageIndex{3}\)

    Would you expect two opposite charges far apart to have a relative potential energy above or below 0?

    Answer

    opposite charges should have energies below 0.

    PROBLEM \(\PageIndex{4}\)

    Rank the following scenarios from HIGHEST (most positive) to LOWEST (most negative) relative potential energy.

    a. +3, -2 charges, 100 angstroms apart

    b. +1, -1 charges, 200 angstroms apart

    c. +1, +1 charges, 200 angstroms apart

    d. -3, -3 charges, 100 angstroms apart

    Answer

    d, c, b, a

    Click here for a video of the solution

     

    Contributors

    Feedback

    Think one of the answers above is wrong? Let us know here.


    1.3.1: Coulomb's Law and the Electrostatic Potential (Problems) is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

    • Was this article helpful?