Physics

Problem

(a) Sketch a qualitative graph showing the variation of the magnitude of electrostatic force

F

between two fixed point charges

q_{1}

and

q_{2}

(one case with

q_{1}q_{2}>0

and one with

q_{1}q_{2}<0

) as a function of their separation

r

in vacuum. (b) Explain in words why the graph does not intersect the

r

–axis at any finite value of

r

and why it never cuts the

F

–axis. (c) A student plots

\log F

versus

\log r

for a pair of point charges in vacuum and obtains a straight line. State what the slope of this line should be according to Coulomb’s law and justify your answer. a. (a) Graph sketch b. (b) Explanation of graph behaviour c. (c) Interpretation of log–log slope

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