Chapter 17, Problem 9Q

When a battery is connected to a capacitor, why do the two plates acquire charges of the same magnitude? Will this be true if the two plates are different sizes or shapes?

To determine

When two positively charged small spheres are pushed towards each other, what happens to their potential energy

Answer to Problem 9Q

Solution:

c)It increases

Explanation of Solution

The potential energy between the two charged particle is given by

$PE=\frac{k{q}_1{q}_2}{r}$

Where k is coulomb’s constant, q₁ q₂ are charges of small sphere, r is distance between them

As small spheres are pushed toward each other, the distance between the charges reduces. From equation, potential energy is inversely proportional to distance. Potential energy increases when two spheres are pushed toward each other.