A positively charged particle is placed near a negatively charged particle. What is the direction of

Source: JAMB · 2023

A positively charged particle is placed near a negatively charged particle. What is the direction of the electric force between the two particles?

  1. The electric force is directed from the positive particle to the negative particle. ✓
  2. The electric force is directed from the negative particle to the positive particle.
  3. The electric force is zero.
  4. The direction of the electric force cannot be determined.
Explanation

Opposite charges attract. A positive particle near a negative one is pulled towards it, along the straight line joining them. So the force on the positive particle points from it towards the negative particle.

The force is not zero, because charges always exert a force on each other, and its direction is easy to work out from the signs of the charges.

The option saying the force runs from the negative to the positive particle describes the pull on the negative particle, not the usual direction used for the pair.

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